Baytown’s Texas’ Grito Fest is just one event for which TSE Entertainment provides 
music booking services. The 13th Annual Grito Fest takes place between 4:30 and 10:00 p.m. on October 5th at the amphitheater at Bicentennial Park at 1001 Market Street in Baytown, Texas. This beautiful 13-acre park is overseen by the Baytown Parks and Recreation Department. Baytown Texas is a community of about 80,000 people just 30 miles east of downtown, Houston.
Not sure what a “Grito” is and how it ties to Tejano music? A Grito is a common Mexican exclamation or shout. It is used to express joy or excitement. It’s part of Mexican culture. Today’s Grito fests are a celebration of Mexican American culture and its contributions to the communities that hold such celebrations.
The festivals are often broadened to include the influences of all Hispanic cultures to their cities or towns. In fact, they take place during the National Hispanic Heritage Month each year. It’s observed from September 15th to October 15th each year as a celebration of the histories, cultures and influences of Americans who forefathers came from Spain and Latin America.
Those who attend will enjoy live music, dancing, contests, authentic Mexican food, children’s activities and much more. Baytown’s Grito Fest this year will feature live bands, dance performances, a salsa and jalapeno eating contest and a Grito competition. Food and craft vendors and a play area for kids will round out this family-oriented festival.
Baytown’s Grito Fest is one of the oldest and largest Grito Fests in the United States. The first Baytown Grito Fest was held at N.C. Foote Park on September 16, 2006 and featured Tejano singer Roberto Pulido, Mariachis, a Grito competition, a salsa and jalapeno competition and an Accordion competition. The 2nd Annual Grito Fest was held at Bicentennial Park, where it is still held, on September 15, 2007 and featured Tejano band La Mafia, plus Mariachi’s and more.
The event has grown thanks to the acceptance of the citizens in Baytown as well as surrounding communities, including Houston. The staff of the Baytown Parks and Recreation Department and many volunteers work many hours each year to make the event a rousing success. TSE does its part with its long history of providing Tejano music booking services.
TSE Provides Tejano Music Booking Services and Latin Acts as Well for Grito Fest
TSE Entertainment is proud of its relationship with Baytown Texas. Baytown has been using TSE for booking its live music events for many years. Whether it’s Tejano or Latin music booking for Grito Fest; or its brown bag live concert series; or its big 4th of July 2-day Freedom Festival, TSE has been the “Go To” booking agency for their entertainment events.
The lineup booked by TSE for this year’s event include the following:
Mariachi Los Gallitos: 4:30 to 5:30
This much awarded Houston band was established in 1985. It’s composed of trumpet, violins, guitarron (acoustic bass), vihuela (guitar) and female lead singer. The unique combination of artistic and theatrical abilities of these classically trained musicians have made them highly popular and have garnered them critical acclaim. They entertain audiences by playing both traditional Mexican music as well as mixing it with some other music genres.
Mejikinzie Ballet Folklorico Dancers: 5:30 to 6:00
The Mejikinzie Ballet Folklorico dancers will display a number of Mexican traditional dances. This young group of performers with the vivid costumes are always a crowd favorite.
Accordion Competition and Grito Preliminaries: 6:00 to 6:15 – The accordion is a very important instrument in many Mexican musical genres, especially the Norteño music of Northern Mexico. The accordion competition pitting the accordion skills of local musicians against each other is always fun for the crowd. Who wouldn’t like to hear the shouts, yells and screams of joy and excitement from the brave folks who enter the Grito competition? It’s a diverse group of sounds coming from the contestants.
Tropical Panamá Band: 6:15 to 7:45
The group Tropical Panamá, founded in 1979, is a product of the San Nicolas de las Garza, Nuevo Leon, Mexico music scene. The band is led by primary vocalist Francisco Javier Gonzalez. Tropical Panamá was one of the Mexican pioneers of the cumbia and vallenato sounds. They quickly established their identity and following in both Mexico and the United States. By the early to mid-’90s, not only were Tropical Panamá regularly releasing new recordings, their entire early catalog had been reissued as well as interest in both cumbia and vallenato was being revived by younger pop artists. Their 22nd album, Renacimiento 74, was a tribute to both Renacimiento 74 and La Sonora Dinamita, and was issued in the fall of 2016.
Huapangeros de Baytown: 7:45 -8:15
New to Grito Fest in 2019, this local, all male dance group will be dancing the Huapango. It’s a Mexican folk dance and music style involving zapateado dance steps. The result is a percussive dance where the dancer strikes his shoe, boot or huarache against the tarima (wooden platform) or even the ground in certain styles. We are excited to have this group performing at this year’s Grito Fest.
Solido or Grupo Solido: 8:30 to 10:00
Grupo Solido is a charting, award-winning Norteño band from El Paso, Texas that is part of TSE’s Latin Artists Roster which features Tejano music and entertainers. The group is comprised of three brothers (Ben, Marty, and Chikis Garza) and three family friends (Amado Garza, drums; Fernando Trevino, electric bass; Elijio Salinas accordion). Widely known for their romantic take on the norteño style, Solido has a unique touch that makes them easily distinguishable among the many groups that perform in this popular regional Mexican style. They won a Latin Grammy in 2001 for their debut album, Nadie Como Tu, followed by a Latin Grammy nomination in 2003 for Vuelve.
Despite the early award, their later recordings have charted higher and most consistently. Starting with 2009’s Que Importa, they have landed on the Top Latin Albums Chart six times. 2013’s Inolvidable and 2016’s Sentimientos both landed well within the Top 10, and four other albums have landed on the Mexican Regional albums charts, including the 2016 recording that reached the top spot. A hits collection entitled Los Tres Grandes: 20 Super Hits was issued in 2017 while the band toured and prepared to record its next album.
Grupo Solido will conclude this year’s Grito Fest 2019!
TSE is proud of its Tejano Music for this and other festivals and events.
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