The first notes are unmistakable. Violins, trumpets, guitars, the vihuela and guitarrón come together in a sound rooted in generations of Mexican culture and tradition.
Each year, that tradition takes center stage at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo™ through the Go Tejano Committee’s Mariachi Invitational, presented by Miller Lite. The multiday competition brings mariachi groups together to showcase their talent while celebrating a musical tradition passed from one generation to the next.
For the musicians who compete, however, the road to the star stage begins long before they arrive at the Rodeo.
Edgar Centero of Mariachi Aguilas de Oro, based in Austin, Texas, knows that journey well. The group has competed in the Invitational twice, finishing second during its first appearance in 2025 before returning in 2026 and taking home the championship.
“For me, winning the Mariachi Invitational at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo meant much more than taking home a trophy,” Centero said. “It represented months of preparation, discipline, sacrifice, rehearsals and a love for our Mexican culture and mariachi music.”
The Road to the Star Stage
For participating mariachi groups, the journey unfolds across three stages, with each round bringing them one step closer to performing before one of the Rodeo’s largest audiences.
The 35th Annual Go Tejano Committee Mariachi Invitational begins Saturday, March 13, 2027, with the Showcase at Arena Theatre. Participating groups will perform before a panel of judges selected by the Go Tejano Committee and be evaluated based on established criteria.
The competition continues Sunday, March 14, on Go Tejano Day, presented by La Michoacana Meat Market. During the semifinals at The Hideout at Reliant Park, the groups will once again take the stage before judges, who will select the top two to advance to compete inside Reliant Stadium’s 70,000-person crowd, whose applause determines which group will be named the champion.
It is a moment Centero and his fellow musicians experienced firsthand in 2026.
“The Invitational represented an incredible opportunity to showcase our talent in front of an audience and proudly represent our roots and our culture,” Centero said.
A Rodeo Tradition Rooted in Culture
The Mariachi Invitational is part of a larger celebration of Hispanic culture and Western heritage at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.
Go Tejano Day has celebrated those traditions at the Rodeo since 1990, bringing together music, dance, horsemanship and other cultural traditions throughout the grounds.
Among them is mariachi, a musical art form rooted in Mexico and recognized by UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, which works to identify and safeguard cultural traditions and practices considered important to communities around the world.
Through the Mariachi Invitational, musicians have the opportunity to share that cultural heritage with Rodeo audiences while competing at an increasingly larger scale, from the opening Showcase to the final performance inside Reliant Stadium.
For Mariachi Aguilas de Oro, reaching that final stage took two trips to the Invitational. The victory represented more than improving on their previous finish. For Centero, it was a moment to celebrate the music and culture behind the performance.
“We are grateful for the opportunity and to be part of such an important event in the state of Texas,” Centero said.
From the first notes at Arena Theatre to the final performance on the star stage, the Mariachi Invitational celebrates the talent, preparation and cultural pride musicians bring to the competition. And for the groups that make the journey, each performance offers another opportunity to share the music and traditions of mariachi with a new audience.