The 29th Annual Mariachi Extravaganza has officially announced that this year’s Original Songwriting Competition will be awarding $1,500 and a spot in the opening act of the grand finale concert to the songwriter with the original song. Registration for the competition will open on September 1 and the deadline to submit will be on October 17, 2023.
Competition information
The Original Songwriting Competition is open to any songwriter that writes/arranges mariachi music without restrictions on age or nationality. Only songs within the mariachi genre will be accepted. There is an $85.00 non-refundable registration fee to submit which also gives you access to all events and perks of the Mariachi Extravaganza excluding the concert. Additional song submissions if any will have a $25.00 fee each. The deadline to submit an entry to the competition is October 17th, 2023 at 11:59 PM without exceptions. More information here.
How to register/submit my song?
You will need to have a few things in order before you register.
1. Web link to a recording of your song, preferably YouTube.
2. Web link to the lyrics of your songs. Google Drive, Dropbox, or any site where you lyrics can be extracted/ downloaded from. Video lyrics are not accepted.
Once you have your working link you can click here or visit mariachimusic.com to complete your formal registration form.
Competition Prizes
As opposed to prior years, the Original Songwriting Competition will be awarding its winners with the largest prizes ever. Prizes will be awarded as follows:
Best Original Song – $1,500 with a chance to open the concert if performed with live mariachi group accompaniment. An invitation is based on the discretion of the Artistic Director. Only one finalist can qualify for this award*
Best Arrangement – $500. This submission can be with or without lyrics. Only one finalist can qualify for this award*
Best Lyrics – $500. Only one finalist can qualify for this award*
Best Student Submission – $500. Any student enrolled in a school or a college/university can qualify for this award regardless of whether they advance to the finals or not. Students must be 27 or under to participate.
Important Dates
September 1 – Registration for the 29th Annual Mariachi Extravaganza Opens.
October 1 – Deadline to register for the Vocal Competitions.
October 15 – Early registration for Group Competition ends.
October 17 – Deadline to register for the Original Songwriting Competition.
November 1 – Finalists for the Vocal and Songwriting Competitions announced.
November 10 – Late registration for Group Competition ends.
November 15 – Full Competition Schedule Announced
November 26 – Mariachi Mass at Mission San Jose
November 30 – Serenata en el Rio
December 1 – Original Songwriting Competition
December 1 – National Group Competition
December 2 – National Vocal Competition
December 2 – National High School Finals
December 2 – Mariachi Extravaganza Concert
For more information contact Leon Camacho at leon@mariachimusic.com or call 210-225-3353 or 210-304-0297.
Make plans to attend the 29th Annual Mariachi Extravaganza November 30 – December 2, 2023. Tickets are on sale now for the Mariachi Extravaganza concert on Saturday, December 2 at ticketmaster.com. Competition registration opens on September 1 at mariachimusic.com. Hotel reservations can be made at the Grand Hyatt or the Emily Morgan hotels.
