You have to admit that when you tell someone you’re going to a Taco Festival, it sounds a little strange. But, despite the lack of shade tents, the heat, and a $10 entry fee (in addition to the purchase of tickets for tacos and drinks) the festival was a hit.
Fresh: Coffee and Smoothies Taco from Tucson Taco Festival
The Rillito Downs Race Park is a huge place to have a festival. It was a little spread out, but it wasn’t too much of a bother. The stage at the east end of the park featured two different bands while closer to the entry point at the west end was a zip line, huge blown up balls for people to hop inside and act like a hamster, and the crowning gem of the non-food portion of the festival – live Lucha Libre wrestling.
As for the tacos, there were too many for any one person to try all of. Of course, if you had purchased Tequila Expo tickets which included ten pull-off tabs for tequila or margarita samples, and stayed longer than two hours, sampling a larger variety of tacos would have been highly plausible.
Kbork Dirty Taco
The first taco sampled was a chipotle chicken taco with garlic aioli and smoked avocado & tomatillo crema from newcomers Fresh: Coffee and Smoothies. From what they told me, you can only get this taco from their restaurant on Taco Tuesdays until they run out, so mark your calendar. (It was my favorite taco). Also sampled were Sonoran Hot dog stand Kbork‘s Dirty Taco which featured chorizo, pork, and beef, Food truck Mexico City Kitchen‘s pork taco, Maynard’s Market‘s chimichurri carne asada with cucumber and radish salsa fresca, roasted pepper, and cilantro aioli, and Lodge on the Desert‘s red chile braised local beef taco with beef tongue, local radish, and cilantro salad. That’s all I had folks.
Mexico City Kitchen Taco
That’s all I had for food, that is.
I just happened to gain possession of a Tequila Expo bracelet. At approximately 11:45am, I entered the VIP tent and sampled a smooth shot of El Tesoro tequila. Quickly noticing that 9 more tastes would put an end to the rest of my day (post festival), I opted instead for the margarita samples such as this one from Contigo.
Here are 7 things I learned from this year’s taco festival:
- Go early. If you don’t want to wait in long lines, get the majority of your taco eating done before the crowds arrive.
- Go with a group. Have different people get in different lines and come back to a meeting spot with a boatload of tacos.
- Get Tequila Expo tickets. Seriously, if you’re not living it up at this festival, it’s your loss.
- Prepare accordingly for excess sun. Whatever that means to you – sunscreen, big hat, umbrella…
- To get good lucha libre wrestling pictures, you need to get real close. Like, REAL close.
- Plan on spending roughly $40
- If you’re going to do the zip line or get inside the hamster ball, do it before you visit the tequila tent.
Cruz Tequila on display in the VIP/Tequila Expo tent
Love the review. Realized last minute that we couldn’t go and was bummed. Concerned that “going inside the hamster ball” might have an alternative meaning but appreciate the 7 things you learned.
Thanks for your feedback! Depending on one’s level at the event of intoxication, heat exhaustion, and overeating, “going inside the hamster ball” definitely had alternative meanings.
Nice assessment. I did a write up on this too and was less than thrilled with some aspects of the festival. For one thing, in addition to long lines the availability of some menu items was really limited. The festival Web site clearly advertised that seafood and veggie tacos would be available, but when I was there around 2PM there was only one vendor that actually had fish tacos available, and only one vendor in the entire festival with veggie tacos. It had me seeing red when judges were on social media sharing pictures of the five or six seafood tacos they got for judging. What was available for them should have been available to the customers who paid for entry.
I feel your pain. My experience with these kinds of things is that the organizers are feeling things out, too, when it’s a first run. Hopefully next year will be better. The whole judge thing was BS. What was there – 23 judges?? But, I had fun. Get to the Tequila Expo next time. It’ll make it better.
I never really understood with the charge to enter culinary festivals, they had it the same way in Scottsdale since we are paying for food and drinks throughout the time we spend there. I have not been to this one yet, it sounds like fun. i will have to try it next time!Thanks for sharing and showing the tasty pictures.
Thanks for your comment! I understand the charge. But, I don’t like it! It’s just a way for the organizers to make money (and pay to host the event). Figure for an event such as this, you have to rent the park, rent all the tents, tables and chairs, advertise (a lot), hire a PR/marketing firm to get the word out, get permits, hire security and event staff… but I hear ya’
I can’t wait for this to happen again. I love tacos whenever possible and when there is a festival dedicated only to Mexican food it’s like Christmas all over again. Restaurants in the Tucson area will hold me over until next time. I hope…
I’m 99.9% sure there will be no next time. At least, not from last year’s organizers. We’ll have to create our own!
Great site. Nice to see reviews around town on food. Wish I could of went also :O) next time