Traditional music and dance will be showcased in the August event series, titled 'Mexican Nights,' at the Ford venue.
In August 2025, The Ford amphitheater in the Cahuenga Pass will play host to a three-part event series, "Mexican Nights". The series, presented by the LA Philharmonic as part of their 2025 Latin Music Concert Series, invites attendees to experience the rich diversity of Mexican cultural expressions through music, dance, and heritage in a vibrant community setting.
The series kicks off on August 2 with "Boleros de Noche". This reunion performance by Marisoul y Los Hermanos Carlos, known for their romantic boleros rooted in L.A.’s Placita Olvera scene, focuses on the soulful bolero tradition and reminisces on decades of musical heritage.
On August 7, "Leyendas del Mariachi" takes centre stage. This powerhouse concert will feature legendary mariachi groups such as Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán, Los Camperos, Nuevo Tecalitlán, and Mariachi Cobre. The night honours mariachi as a national treasure with iconic musicians on stage.
The grand finale, on August 16, is "Serenatas y Bodas de México". This showcase of Mexican wedding traditions will feature over 30 dancers from the Grandeza Mexicana Folk Ballet Company and Teocalli Ballet Folklórico, along with the youth ensemble Mariachi Tesoro de San Fernando. The evening concludes with the world premiere of a piece dedicated to the Muxes of Oaxaca, celebrating gender diversity in Zapotec culture.
For many mariachi musicians, their music is a family tradition and a source of happiness. Suzanne Garcia, the producer of the Aug. 7 event, is a lifelong mariachi musician herself. Mariachi musicians often play until they are well into their 70s, according to Garcia.
The Aug. 16 event will also highlight pre-Columbian cultures found throughout Mexico and will focus on the cultural aspects surrounding the ceremony of marriage, including traditions from Yucatán, Morelos, Oaxaca, Nayarit, Michoacán, and Jalisco.
Roberto Carlos, the creative director, first fell in love with live performance at the now-defunct Teatro los Pinos in South Gate. In 2015, he began the event "Boleros de Noche" to share his love for bolero music with a larger audience. Aug. 2 has been declared the Diá de Bolero by the City of L.A., something Carlos is proud of given the current political climate.
Jose Vences, founder of the Grandeza Mexicana Folk Ballet Company, has a long history of performing at the Ford. The dance tribute to the Muxes de Oaxaca required constant consideration to respectfully and fully represent the social status and cultural space they occupy.
The Aug. 16 event, "Serenatas y Bodas de México", will feature the Grandeza Mexicana Folk Ballet Company, Teocalli Ballet Folklórico México, and Mariachi Tesoro de San Fernando. The event aims to creatively represent the feelings of members of the Muxes population that do not have a 'regular' life, including serenades and weddings.
- The three-part event series, "Mexican Nights", at the Ford amphitheater in California, is a celebration of Mexican cultural expressions, which encompasses music, dance, and heritage.
- On August 7, the powerhouse concert "Leyendas del Mariachi" will honor mariachi music as a national treasure, with legendary groups such as Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán and Los Camperos performing.
- For many mariachi musicians, their music is a family tradition and a source of happiness, as demonstrated by Suzanne Garcia, a lifelong mariachi musician and producer of the Aug. 7 event.
- The Aug. 16 event, "Serenatas y Bodas de México", will creatively represent the feelings of the Muxes population in Oaxaca, including serenades and weddings, through dance and music performances by the Grandeza Mexicana Folk Ballet Company and Mariachi Tesoro de San Fernando.
- The 'home-and-garden' magazine readers might appreciate the cultural aspects surrounding Mexican weddings, as the Aug. 16 event will highlight traditions from pre-Columbian cultures found throughout Mexico, including those from Yucatán, Morelos, Oaxaca, Nayarit, Michoacán, and Jalisco.
