One of the nation’s oldest youth mariachi groups is celebrating a milestone this weekend, with a pair of events honoring their history and roots in Tucson.

Los Changuitos Feos de Tucson, or “The Ugly Little Monkeys,” was the first youth mariachi group to tour the U.S., inspiring a wave of mariachi groups across the country. The group has performed in the U.S. and Mexico and created a scholarship program that’s become a model for many other groups.

This Friday and Saturday, Los Changos will celebrate 60 years with a dinner and concert. The events serve as the second annual fundraiser, a tradition they hope will ensure the group’s survival for years to come.

“It's very significant that it be celebrated and continue to be celebrated. To recognize where they've gone, hopefully the future is there also,” said Los Changos President Mario Aguilar. “The significance of this 60th year celebration is that that's over half a century, that's three generations.”

On Friday, the group will  hold a fundraising dinner at the Desert Diamond Casino Tucson Ballroom at 6 p.m., where guests will enjoy music from the current generation of Los Changuitos Feos. 

On Saturday, Los Changos alum and current Changuitos will come together for a performance by Mariachi Cobre of Disney Epcot at 7 p.m. at the Linda Ronstadt Music Hall. Mariachi Cobre was founded by a former Chango, an example of the far-reaching impact the group had on mariachi nationally.  

These events offer an opportunity for the group to raise funds for programs that almost went away a few years back and for new programs Aguilar has been working to implement.  

“We overcame almost falling through the cracks,” Aguilar said. “This last year at the first fundraiser, we had a real estate company out in Scottsdale, Arizona (come) and give us $25,000 to keep going.”

One of the company’s employees read an article by Susan in the Arizona Daily Star about the fundraising event.

The money raised during that fundraiser was a lifeline to the group, allowing them to continue operating and to purchase the kids’ trajes (costumes.)

This year’s fundraiser will focus on the scholarship program, which disappeared a few years ago, and on an apprenticeship program that Aguilar hopes to start soon. 

The scholarship program was for Los Changos alum that were graduating high school and pursuing higher education. The program is not only a push for Changitos to stay dedicated and motivated, but to also encourage them to continue their educational career with support from an organization they poured into during their adolescence.

“It continues a tradition and the people who have already gone through this group, they have gone to a lot of greater things in life,” said Frank Grijalva, who will take over as the group’s musical director after the celebration. “The future for all of us is these kids here. They’re going to be the ones that bring up the next generation and continue it going.”

Unlike other high school performance groups, Los Changuitos Feos is not affiliated with any single school. Aguilar said this presents its own set of challenges. 

“We can't keep up (with high school programs) because they have a place to practice five times a week,” Aguilar said. “The biggest thing that we'll have (to offer) over the school programs is we will offer scholarships.”

The apprenticeship program will split students into groups of performers and learners. The learners will work towards performing and will have opportunities to participate with the other group. The purpose is to prepare the younger kids who are not yet ready to perform, and to give them an example of what they might be able to do if they stick with the group. 

The apprenticeship program requires more time and resources, and Aguilar hopes this fundraiser will give the group the boost it needs to get the program up and running. When it’s established, the performance group will be able to earn money through tocadas (gigs) to continue contributing to the scholarship fund. 

“It’s time to get back to the level that they used to be. They were at a level that was really top tier (and) it was due to their instruction and dedication, and so we're hoping to get back to that level” Aguilar said. “We want to carry forward with it and keep it going and see if we can keep this legacy alive for another 30 years.”

Susan Barnett is Deputy Editor of Tucson Spotlight and a graduate student at the University of Arizona. She previously worked for La Estrella de Tucson. Contact her at susan@tucsonspotlight.org.