Mariachi is a genre of traditional music originally from western and northern Mexico, although it has become one of the symbols of Mexican culture.

Scholars affirm that the mariachi developed from the 16th century in a region that encompasses the Mexican states of Nayarit, Jalisco, Colima, Michoacán, a portion of Zacatecas, Aguascalientes, and parts of Guanajuato, Sinaloa, and Guerrero, with a wide variety of styles and variants. However, starting from the mid-20th century, a specific style of music and attire became famous worldwide.

The traditional attire of mariachis is inspired by the charro suit. The suit must be in serious colors such as black, gray, brown, or suede. The pants are tight-fitting, with a jacket, bowtie, leather boots or suede boots, a wide leather belt, and, of course, the large-brimmed hat.

Mariachi music orchestras feature trumpets, violins, vihuelas, and guitarrones and are typically composed of four or more musicians. The vast repertoire of mariachi music includes songs from different regions of Mexico, as well as jarabes, minuets, polkas, valonas, chotis, waltzes, serenades, corridos, and traditional rural songs. In recent years, other musical genres such as ranchera, ranchero bolero, and even Colombian cumbia have been incorporated.

In the city of Guadalajara, the International Mariachi and Charreria Encounter takes place every year, featuring performances by groups from around the world, including mariachis from Serbia, Finland, Colombia, Ecuador, Spain, Japan, Aruba, Egypt, and many more.