Santiago Garza y La Naturaleza to Headline Historic Father-Son Farewell at 44th Annual Tejano Conjunto Festival

SAN ANTONIO, Texas — This Friday night, May 15, the 44th Annual Tejano Conjunto Festival en San Antonio will host one of the most emotional and historic moments in recent Conjunto music history as Santiago Garza y La Naturaleza takes the stage at 11:00 p.m. for a performance that will also mark the retirement of Jose Luis Garza Sr., affectionately known to fans and family as “Pops.”

After an extraordinary 61-year career in music, Pops will perform his final show alongside his son, Santiago Garza, during one of the largest and most respected Conjunto events in the country. For the Garza family, the night represents far more than a festival performance — it is a celebration of legacy, family tradition, and the enduring spirit of Conjunto music.

The father-and-son appearance comes at a special time for La Naturaleza, as the group continues expanding its reach throughout Texas, across the United States, and into Mexico. Friday night’s performance symbolizes both the closing of a remarkable musical chapter and the continuation of another generation carrying the Conjunto tradition forward.

Garza’s own musical story began at just nine years old, inspired by watching his father perform on stage. Before becoming known as an accordionist and bandleader, he started as a drummer playing with San Antonio-area Conjuntos including Jet Martinez y Los Navigators, Juan Arguello y Frases Tejanas, and Chale Moreno y Los Crystales.

Everything changed at age 15 after accompanying his older brother, Efren Garza, to an accordion lesson taught by his father’s bandmate, Juan Arguello. Inspired to learn the instrument himself, Santiago convinced his mother to let him borrow his father’s prized white pearl Hohner Corona II accordion — an instrument that was typically off-limits.

Despite the warnings to handle it carefully and return it exactly as he found it, the experience sparked a lifelong passion for accordion and Conjunto music. The instrument’s sound and complexity captivated Garza, eventually leading him to form La Naturaleza nearly two decades ago.

Since then, Santiago Garza y La Naturaleza has built a respected reputation within the Tejano and Conjunto music community, known for honoring traditional Conjunto roots while continuing to connect with new generations of fans.

This year’s Tejano Conjunto Festival en San Antonio runs May 14–17, 2026, and once again brings thousands of fans to San Antonio to celebrate the rich traditions of South Texas Conjunto music. Recognized as the first and longest-running conjunto festival in the nation, the annual event attracts more than 9,000 attendees from across Texas, throughout the United States, Mexico, Europe, and Asia.

The 2026 festival will also honor the legacy of legendary accordionist Flaco Jiménez, whose groundbreaking career helped bring the San Antonio Conjunto sound to audiences around the world.

The main festival takes place May 15–17 at Rosedale Park and features performances from many of the biggest names in Tejano and Conjunto music. Three-day passes are available for $50, while single-day tickets are priced at $20 for Friday, $25 for Saturday, and $15 for Sunday. Children 12 and under receive free admission.

For tickets and additional festival information, visit the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center website.

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