Tex-Mex Concert Featuring Celestina y Los Sanchez Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month
COLDWATER – Fusing Mexican and US music including country music, polka, and waltzes, the Tex-Mex concert featuring Celestina y Los Sanchez Concert with emcee Dano Oropeza will celebrate both Hispanic Heritage month and the community-wide Cultivating Community programming at Tibbits Opera House on Saturday, Oct. 1 at 2pm.
Well known throughout the Battle Creek and West Michigan region, Celestina y Los Sanchez performs Tejano Conjunto, the style which refers to a small musical ensemble performing Tex-Mex music. Born and raised near Battle Creek, Celestina has been singing and performing since the age of 6 and by age 12 officially joined her uncles in the group headed by her grandfather, Lupe Sanchez. Sanchez’s career began in the 1960s and by the 1970s he was performing most every weekend in Grand Rapids, Muskegon, Ohio and Indiana.
In 2015 Celestina competed in the Tejano Idol competition in Austin, Texas where she was second runner-up and the only contestant not from the state of Texas. As a group Celestina y Los Sanchez has been recognized on multiple Tejano Conjunto Countdowns across the US and South America and their latest album is available on Spotify and Apple Music.
According to the Smithsonian Institute Tejano Conjunto or Tex-Mex Conjunto has been around for more than 100 years and is “one of the most enduring musical traditions among Mexicans and Mexican Americans.” One of the most celebrated entertainers, Selena is credited with catapulting Tejano music to mainstream radio stations across the US and Mexico in the 1980s and 90s.
Emcee for the afternoon will be Daniel (Dano) Oropeza, a well-known advocate and radio host in West Michigan. With a long list of organizations which he has founded or assisted through organizing fundraisers or promoted through his broadcasts, he has made a significant impact on his community. He is co-founder of Despierta Kalamazoo Committee, co-host of Alma Latina for WMUK 102.1 FM, and DJ at Mi Gente Radio (MI Cumbia +) FB live365.
In addition to the concert, there will be a display of the flags of Central and South America.
This event is by donation at the door. To add to the Tibbits experience, Tibbits Ghost Light Bar and the theatre’s lower-level art gallery are open before the show and at intermission. In addition to the flag display, patrons are invited to view the current “America the Beautiful” art gallery exhibit or the historic exhibit displays throughout the theatre.
This event is made possible through grant funding from the Michigan Arts & Culture Council as well as the National Endowment for the Arts. As part of the community Cultivating Community it also received funding from Women Who Care of Branch County.
The performance is held at the beautiful historic Tibbits Opera House, 14 S. Hanchett Street, in Coldwater. It begins at 2pm with doors to the theatre, Ghost Light Bar, and Art Gallery open at 1:30pm. For more information, call Tibbits at 517-278-6029 or visit Tibbits.org.