University of Illinois Chicago to Present Second LATIN AMERICAN MUSIC FESTIVAL This October
Three-day festival will feature Mariachi, scholarly talks, and a free indoor block party with Chicago’s top Latin bands.
By: A.A. Cristi Sep. 29, 2025
The School of Theatre and Music at the University of Illinois Chicago will host the second Latin American Music Festival from October 9–11, 2025. The three-day celebration will bring together UIC faculty and students, local scholars, and artists from across Chicago’s vibrant Hispanic communities.
The festival begins Thursday, October 9, with a Mariachi Festival at the Merit School of Music. Community and high school ensembles will participate in workshops and clinics with guest Mariachi artists, culminating in an evening concert featuring UIC’s Mariachi Fuego alongside a special guest.
On Friday, October 10, at 2:00 p.m., the School of Theatre and Music will welcome Chicago-based scholar and author Carmelo Esterrich for a special talk. Esterrich, a longtime faculty member at Columbia College Chicago and author of Concrete and Countryside: The Urban and the Rural in 1950s Puerto Rican Culture, will share insights on Latin American cinema, popular music, and cultural studies.
The festival concludes Saturday, October 11, with the LAMF Block Party from 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at UIC Student Center East. Presented in conjunction with UIC Family Weekend, this family-friendly event will feature performances by Madera Once, Banda El Pueblo, Lakeside Pride Latin Band, Mariachi Fuego, Trío Auge Huasteco, Erendira Izguerra, and DJ Marino. The celebration will also include the Tianguis Market, showcasing artists and vendors from across the city.
Admission is free and open to the public, inviting Chicagoans to experience an exciting mix of music, community, and culture. For more information, visit #UICLAMF.
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