2026 CU Tango Music Festival

Join us for a celebration of tango music, dance, and culture in the heart of Champaign-Urbana! The 2026 CU Tango Music Festival brings world-class musicians and dancers, inspiring concerts, milongas, performances, workshops, and community gatherings together for an unforgettable experience. Whether you’re new to tango or a seasoned tanguero, there’s something for everyone. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.cutangomusic.org/cu-tango-music-festival 2026 Artists Rodrigo Avalos, bandoneon Heyni Solera, bandoneon Maxfield Wollam-Fisher, cello La Siembra Tango Bandoneon Massacre and guests Julia Driscoll, Ben Medina, Jessie Stark, Craig Herrington, and Pablo Zavattieri Daniela Roig and Hernán Prieto, dance performers and instructors Paloma Berrios and Maximiliano Alvarado, dance performers and instructors Mariano Bejarano, DJ 📆 Festival Schedule Thursday, April 16 — 2026 CU Tango Music Festival @ Krannert Uncorked (Krannert Center for the Arts (Stage Five)) 🕔 5:30–7 PM — This special edition of Krannert Uncorked includes performances by Bandoneon Massacre alongside our festival guest artists and special guest performers and features orquesta típica music for dancing from the Golden Age of tango alongside contemporary orquesta típica and string orchestra music. 💲FREE Friday, April 17 — Festival Concert and Meet and Greet Milonga (Urbana Dance Company) 🕗 7:30 PM — Festival Tango Concert showcasing guest artists Rodrigo Avalos, Heyni Solera, Maxfield Wollam-Fisher, and La Siembra Tango performing contemporary tango repertoire. 💲 Tickets: $30 / $15 (students) — Urbana Dance Company 🕗 8:45 PM — Meet and Greet Milonga for socializing and dancing with guest artists and light Argentine fare. 💲 Tickets: (included with concert ticket) Saturday, April 18 — Workshops, Community Concert, & Festival Milonga (Multiple Locations 🕐 1 PM–5:15 PM — Tango Dance Workshops with guest dance instructors Hernan Prieto/Daniela Roig and Maximiliano Alvarado/Paloma Berrios. (Urbana Dance Company) 💲 Per workshop: $35 / $20 (students) 🕐 2:30 PM–3:30 PM — Tango for All, a musical journey through tango! Open to all ages. (Community Center for the Arts) 💲 FREE 🕐 4 PM–5:30 PM — Tango Music Workshop for Strings and Bass. Open to all levels. (Community Center for the Arts) 💲 FREE 🕐 7 PM–8 PM — Intro to Tango Dance (Urbana Dance Company) 💲 FREE 🕘 8 PM–1 AM Festival Milonga featuring our 20+-piece festival orquesta comprised of our guests artists, local tango band Bandoneon Massacre, and Midwest guest musicians alongside DJ Mariano Bejarano and special live-music dance performances from Daniela Roig and Hernan Prieto as well as Maximiliano Alvarado and Paloma Berrios. (Urbana Dance Company) 💲 Tickets: $35 / $20 (student, non-dancer) 🎷 Sunday, April 19 — Practica & Tango Dance Workshops (Urbana Dance Company) 🕐 Practica, Brunch, & Jam with Mateado — Bring your instrument and join our jam, bring your dance shoes and practice those new moves, bring a dish to share, or just bring an empty stomach and enjoy a chill Sunday brunch. The brunch features a mate tasting; CU Tango Music's handcrafted mate cups, provided by ceramicist and violinist Jessie Stark, as well as a variety of yerba will available for purchase. 💲 FREE 🕐 12:30 PM–3:15 PM — Tango Dance Workshops with guest dance instructors Maximiliano Alvarado/Paloma Berrios. 💲 Per workshop: $35 / $20 (students) Dance instructors Daniela, Hernan, Maxi, and Paloma are available for a limited number of private lesson slots; contact [email protected] for more information. Information about local housing can be found at https://experiencecu.org/ or by contacting [email protected] For more information, visit www.cutangomusic.org