SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) – The Utah Consulate of Mexico has announced a Mariachi competition on Aug. 30, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Rotunda of the State Capital.

To kick off Hispanic Heritage Month 2023, the consulate is excited to present the competition and exhibit “Sones de Mariachi en Utah.”

This is the inaugural year for this event and it will feature mariachi groups who have performed locally, nationally, and internationally

Mariachi is considered a uniquely Mexican sound and the origins of the small musical ensemble date back to the late 1700s and early 1800s. The group is composed mostly of stringed instruments including guitars and violins and during the 20th century, groups began adding trumpets.

State officials will open the event and the public is invited to the free concert featuring local musicians who are preserving the folk arts traditions of Utah’s thriving Mexican and Hispanic population.

The event is sponsored by the Utah Division of Arts & Museums and supported by community partners like the Utah Division of Multicultural Affairs and the Mexican Latino Institute of Utah.