National Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration at Frostburg State University to Feature Mariachi Herencia de México With Lupita Infante

The Frostburg State University Cultural Events Series and Department of Student Engagement will celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month with a spirited musical performance from Mariachi Herencia de México with special guest Lupita Infante on Wednesday, Sept. 28, at 7:30 p.m. in the Alice R. Manicur Assembly Hall of FSU’s Lane University Center. The club-style event, sponsored by Joel Hoover and Rommel Gonzaga, will feature general admission table seating and food and beverage selections.

Fresh off their 2021 PBS appearance performing alongside Camila Cabello at the White House, Mariachi Herencia de México embodies the glorious folkloric traditions of the past while infusing them with the dynamism and bravado of youth. In 2017, they were honored with a Latin Grammy nomination for Best Ranchero/Mariachi Album.

Grammy-nominated vocalist Infante brings an innovative, bicultural perspective to the Mexican folk genre of mariachi. The granddaughter of Mexican music and film icon Pedro Infante and the daughter of esteemed musician Pedro Infante Jr., Infante is committed to honoring her family’s legacy while bravely questioning long-held traditions of the historically male-dominated artform of mariachi.

Immediately following the performance, as part of the Offstage Series With WFWM, WFWM station director Chuck Dicken will join the artists for a conversation with the audience to discuss Mexico’s folkloric traditions, as well as discover how a now-acclaimed youth ensemble emerged from the immigrant barrios of Chicago and how Infante was inspired to carry on her family’s musical legacy and adapt it for a new generation.

Tickets are $15 for adults; $13.50 FSU faculty/staff, military and youth under 18; and free for FSU students. For more information, including ticket discount options, visit CES’ webpage at ces.frostburg.edu or contact the University box office at 1-866-849-9237 or 301-687-3137. The box office, located in the FSU Lane University Center, is open Mondays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Several additional events are scheduled to further celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month.

Thursday, Sept. 15, through Friday, Sept. 30, Main Street Books, at 2 E. Main St. in Frostburg, will host a display of Hispanic- and Latinx-themed fictional and nonfictional literary works for people of all ages, as well as community member-loaned cultural memorabilia and artifacts collected from travels in Hispanic regions.

On Sept. 15 at 7 p.m., community members are invited to gather at The Deep End, 16 W. Main St. in Frostburg, for a “Brains and Brews” conversation. Discussion will focus on Spanish cultures and clarifying issues that are sometimes confused, such as differences in language and distinctions among the terms Latinx, Hispanic and Mexican. “Brains and Brews” is a fun, monthly lecture and discussion series curated by FSU’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

On Tuesday, Sept. 27, at 6 p.m., Frostburg Dining Services will present a Latin American-themed teaching kitchen in FSU’s Chesapeake Dining Hall. Participants will create a traditional dish of cheese pupusas – stuffed, grilled masa cakes – and curtido, a traditional Salvadoran cabbage slaw. Participation is limited and reservations are required. Tickets are $30 and may be purchased by contacting the University box office.

The National Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration is made possible through the Folk and Traditional Arts Community Projects program of Mid Atlantic Arts with support from the National Endowment for the Arts. CES is supported in part by the Maryland State Arts Council (msac.org) and the City of Frostburg.

FSU is following CDC guidance based on current area conditions. For current health and safety guidelines, visit www.frostburg.edu/COVID19.