Bustling with around 1,200 attendees, the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center celebrated Mexican independence with a diverse display of music, food and artisans on Saturday. Including a lineup of local artists and community leaders, Viva México provides entertainment for Austinites and a sense of community for Mexican American locals.
The 17th annual celebration of Viva México, hosted by the Cultural Center at Austin’s Pan-American Recreation Center, included a lineup of local Latin musicians and remarks by Austin City Council members, including Mayor Kirk Watson. Michelle Rojas, the center’s culture and arts site manager, said the family-friendly event commemorates Mexican Independence Day in one of the center’s largest yearly celebrations.
“Many families that lived in what was called Tejas still live here in Austin today,” Rojas said. “A lot of those traditions carried on from generation to generation.”
Rojas said that the Center was created in response to community advocates seeking a space to celebrate Mexican American and Latinx culture in Austin.
Rojas said this year’s Viva México hosted Mexican food vendors, provided youth activities teaching the history of the center and worked with marketplace Frida Friday ATX, which showcases local artisans selling Mexican artwork.
“Mexican culture is deeply rooted here in Austin,” Rojas said. “Traditions such as these are moments where people can honor those traditions and feel a sense of belonging.”
Delivered by Mexican consul Humberto Hernández Haddad at this year’s festivities, the “Grito de Independencia” calls back to an 1810 speech given by leader of the Mexican War of Independence Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, uniting the community in their quest for independence from Spain.
“It’s amazing to see little ones taking pride and understanding that we are one,” said Yolanda Sanchez, founder and director of the nonprofit Round Rock Ballet Folklórico. “It’s not just about Mexico. (It’s all brought together in) these beautiful, beautiful dances, and the feeling that ‘I can accomplish anything.’”
The Round Rock Ballet Folklórico danced in the finale, in the group’s first year as part of Viva Mexico’s lineup. Sanchez said she founded the studio in 1988 after noticing a need for Mexican cultural representation in Round Rock.
The musical lineup finished with a performance by local group Mariachi Clasico. The group includes Carlos Meda, a guitar player and one of the main singers, who doubles as a first-year event coordinator for the center.
“The best experience was being a part of (Viva México) and seeing the amount of people in the audience and their reactions to songs they recognized,” Meda said. “There’s a lot of songs from Mariachi that talk about the region, the country, the land. We wanted to make sure we picked those.”
Meda performs alongside his daughter in the six-piece group, which originated in 2019. Together the members have more than 20 years of Mariachi experience. They’ve grown in popularity since playing the Cedar Park Center with well-known Spanish singer Ana Gabriel on her 2023 tour.
“(The highlight of the day) was seeing the amount of people that were in the audience and their reactions to songs that they recognized,” Meda said.
Though the cultural center is closed for renovations until November 2025, Rojas said the center continues hosting programs throughout Austin that celebrate Mexican independence, including the upcoming Dia de los Muertos celebration on Nov. 2.
“(It’s important) that you come out to cultural events, no matter what your background is,” Rojas said. “It’s a moment to be able to share with other community members and have a good time.”
