Mauricio “Chico” Sanchez

CRYSTAL FALLS — The Crystal Theatre will welcome Mexican guitarist Mauricio “Chico” Sanchez to the U.P. on Sunday, Sept. 28.

Sanchez, a seasoned guitarist and soulful singer with more than 25 years of musical experience, will perform at concert at 2 p.m. at the theatre in Crystal Falls.

Sanchez brings together a range of cultures, forms, flavors and vibrant colors to the Latin American repertoire. He calls himself a “musical adventurer.”

His music evokes rocky, equestrian and idyllic landscapes, drawing the soundscapes of the Americas, its towns, its people and its culture. For years, he has dedicated himself to exploring the sounds of popular music and sharing them with diverse audiences both inside and outside his native Mexico.

“Through music, we can connect our identities and cultural ties that unite us from north to south,” Sanchez said.

The talent of Chico Sanchez was brought to the attention of Crystal Theatre’s program committee by Crystal Falls residents Chris and Julia Willman more than a year ago.

“It was on the white sand shores of Bacalar, Mexico, where my wife, Julia, and I first met Chico,” Chris Willman said.

Julia and Sanchez’s fiancee, Mia, had been close friends in their 20s, so the couple traveled from the Upper Peninsula to the Yucatan Peninsula in the south for an overdue reunion.

“Through shared meals, conversations and music, we formed a connection with Chico that transcended borders,” Willman said. “It wasn’t long before we dreamed of sharing that special experience with our Crystal Falls community. Hosting Chico at the Crystal Theatre is more than a performance. It’s a cultural homecoming, a bridge built on friendship, music, and the beauty of human connection across distance.”

Advanced tickets for the concert can be purchased online at thecrystaltheatre.org, by calling 906-875-3208, or in person weekday mornings at Stage Left.

The Crystal Falls Musicale will pay admission for all Forest Park students and all home-schooled students living in the Forest Park School District. Students are asked to present their student identification to be admitted free of charge.