San Antonio’s Robert Sosa Wins 43rd Annual Tejano Conjunto Festival Poster Contest
The Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center is thrilled to announce that San Antonio native Robert Sosa has been selected as the winning artist for the 43rd Annual Tejano Conjunto Festival en San Antonio 2025 Poster Contest. This marks a full-circle moment for Sosa, who first won the competition in 1983 and again in 1985 with his tribute to Conjunto pioneer Don Santiago Jiménez Sr. Now, 40 years later, he returns as the winning artist with a heartfelt tribute to Don Santiago’s son—Grammy Award winner, third-generation Conjunto musician, and Tex-Mex/Conjunto legend Flaco Jiménez.
A Winning Design Honoring a Legend
Sosa’s winning design was selected through an open competition and will be used in all promotions and marketing materials for the 43rd Annual Tejano Conjunto Festival, which takes place May 15-18, 2025. The festival includes three live performances at Rosedale Park (303 Dartmouth St.) from May 16 to 18 and a senior dance on May 15 from 10 a.m. to noon at Progreso Hall (1306 Guadalupe St.).
Each year, the Tejano Conjunto Festival Poster Contest provides a platform for artists of all ages, including students in middle school, high school, and college categories, to compete for the top prize of $2,000. The festival’s official program, Tonantzin, will feature all winning posters and honorable mentions.
“We once again received an incredible array of heartfelt submissions from artists of all ages,” said Cristina Ballí, executive director of the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center. “This year’s winning poster beautifully captures the essence of this living legend and the vibrant spirit of our one-of-a-kind music tradition.”
Poster Contest Winners
This year’s poster contest winners in their respective categories include:
-
Open Category:
- First Place: Carolina Flores (San Antonio, TX)
- Second Place: Dr. Hector Garza, art teacher at Incarnate Word High School (San Antonio, TX)
-
College Category:
- First Place: Roman Gonzales (Incarnate Word College)
- Honorable Mention: Monserrat Silva-Lopez (UTSA)
-
High School Category:
- First Place: Gabriela Gaona
- Honorable Mention: Gianna Barbosa (School of Science & Technology)
-
Middle School Category:
- First Place: Lydia Ireland (Dr. John Folks Middle School)
- Honorable Mention: Genesis Elisia Pinkney (Straus Middle School)
With over 65 entries, the contest continues to showcase the artistic talent inspired by Tejano and Conjunto music.
From left to right: Juan Tejeda, founder of Tejano Conjunto Festival; Lydia Ireland (Middle School 1st place winner); Micaela Sosa, daughter of TCF Poster Contest Winner Robert Sosa who was unable to attend; Roman Gonzales (College 1st place winner), Carolina Flores (Open category 1st place winner), Dr. Hector Garza (Open category, 2nd place winner); Monserrat Silva-Lopez (College Honorable mention) and Cristina Ballí, executive director of the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center.
Photo credit: Hector Garza.
About the 43rd Annual Tejano Conjunto Festival
As the longest-running Conjunto festival in the country, the Tejano Conjunto Festival is internationally recognized as the most influential event celebrating this beloved Texas musical tradition. The festival highlights top Conjunto musicians from different regional styles across Texas, offering fans an authentic experience of dance, music, and culture.
Festival Lineup
The 43rd Annual Tejano Conjunto Festival will feature an impressive lineup over three days:
Friday, May 16
- Los Fantasmas Del Valle
- Eva Ybarra y su Conjunto Siempre
- Los Alacranes de Daví Flores
- Boni Mauricio
- Santiago Garza y la Naturaleza
- Ricky Naranjo y los Gamblers
Saturday, May 17
- Student Conjuntos: Rio Grande Valley, Los Fresnos Elementary, PSJA Poderosos, Roma Middle School, Roma High School
- Viva Tejana Dance Company
- Mambito y los Champs
- Jesse Perez y sus Compadres Alegres
- Cindy Ramos y su Conjunto
- Gilberto Perez Jr. y sus Compadres
- The Delta Boyz
- Los Cucuy’s de Rodney Rodriguez
- Los Monarcas de Pete y Mario Diaz
- Lazaro Perez
- Los Garcia Bros
- Ruben De La Cruz y su Conjunto
Sunday, May 18
- Student Conjuntos: San Antonio, Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center students, Conjunto Heritage Taller, Southside High School, Edison High School
- Ramon Lucio y Dominante
- Linda Escobar
- Los Tellez
- Conjunto Senzzible
- Los Arcos Hermanos Peña
- Texmaniacs
- Ruben Garza y su Conjunto
- Jaime De Anda
In addition to live music and dancing at Rosedale Park, the festival will host a free senior dance on Thursday, May 15, from 10 a.m. to noon at Progreso Hall (1306 Guadalupe St.), featuring music from Eddie “Lalo” Torres and Conjunto Kingz de Flavio Longoria.
New Festival Coordinator: Mariaelena Villarreal
The Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center welcomes award-winning photojournalist Mariaelena Villarreal as this year’s new Tejano Conjunto Festival Coordinator. With over 15 years of experience, Villarreal advocates for Tejano and Conjunto music, having worked as a photojournalist for Tejano Nation and official photographer for Hohner Accordions. She has been actively involved in supporting Conjunto students and organizations across Texas.
In her role, Villarreal will assist in coordinating the festival and managing its Facebook page, leveraging her deep industry connections to amplify its impact.
“The Tejano Conjunto Festival has long been a cornerstone of our musical heritage, and I am honored to have the opportunity to continue this important work,” said Villarreal. “With this year’s incredible lineup, we celebrate conjunto music’s rich legacy while embracing its future.”
About the Tejano Conjunto Festival
For over forty years, the Tejano Conjunto Festival in San Antonio has presented live performances from the genre’s most prominent icons. The festival also features dances, workshops, Hall of Fame inductions, and more. Over 9,000 attendees come from Texas, the U.S., Mexico, Europe, and Asia, making it a global celebration of South Texas Conjunto music and culture.
The festival has inspired other conjunto festivals and remains a pillar of Texas’s cultural identity, showcasing the music, dance, and traditions of generations.
Ticket Information
🎟️ Tickets for the 43rd Annual Tejano Conjunto Festival will go on sale March 6, 2025, and will be available through the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center website:
🔗 https://guadalupeculturalarts.org
- Three-Day Pass: $50
- Friday, May 16 (Single-Day Ticket): $20
- Saturday, May 17 (Single-Day Ticket): $25
- Sunday, May 18 (Single-Day Ticket): $15
- Children 12 & under: FREE
Don’t miss the most anticipated conjunto music event of the year!
