This year, the 2022 World Margarita Championship is poppin’ off from 6 – 9 p.m. on Friday, August 26, and is taking place inside the Tucson Mall at the CATALYST Arts & Maker Space.
The crafty and creative event is a collaboration between the Southern Arizona Arts and Culture Alliance (SAACA) and Tucson Originals Restaurants. Over years, they’ve aimed to deliver the best margaritas in Tucson while highlighting a handful of local restaurants.
If you haven’t had the chance to catch one of the previous World Margarita Championships, you may want to consider setting aside some time for this year’s event because it’s packed with spirited cocktails, margarita and tequila tastings, and food samples of the southwest.
Here’s how it works:
Tucson Original Restaurants chefs and restaurants will battle it out with a live judging panel including Tucson Foodie’s Mark Whittaker, resulting in a People’s Choice Award for the best signature margarita. This means that attendees will get to vote for their favorite margarita while soaking in all of the live music, interactive experiences, and a meet-and-greet with a few local chefs.
Tickets, which are said to be selling quickly, are $80 per person (21 years and older) and include all food and beverage tastings.
World Margarita Championship participants
- Fresco Pizzeria & Pastaria – Chef Mat Cable
- Casino Del Sol – Chef Ryan Clark
- Gourmet Girls Gluten Free Bakery/Bistro – Chefs Mary Steiger and Susan Fulton
- Chef Chic – Chef Wendy Gauthier
- Dante’s Fire – Chef Ken Foy (2022 Iron Chef Tucson winner)
- Brother John’s Beer, Bourbon & BBQ – Chef Patrick Vezino
- Dulce Vida Tequila – TBD
- Bisbee Breakfast Club – TBD
- Zio Peppe – Chef Devon Sanner
- Rocco’s Little Chicago – Chef Rocco DiGrazia
- The Dutch Eatery & Refuge – Chef Marcus Van Winden
- Noble Hops – TBD
- Pinnacle Peak – TBD
ENTERTAINMENT
- Live DJ by DJ L3XX
- Live painting by Victor Navarro
- Margarita-inspired painting crafts with Art Mixer
- Foodie sculpture installation by Artist Nathaniel Lewis
- Caricatures by Lindsay Henderson
Raffle tickets are also available for purchase online. If you’re feeling lucky or perhaps adventurous, go on ahead and enter for a chance to win more than $2,000 in local gift cards and gift baskets. All funds raised will go directly to support SAACA community arts outreach programs and Tucson Originals Restaurants.
The World Margarita Championship take place inside the CATALYST Arts & Maker Space by SAACA, located at 4500 N. Oracle Rd. #110. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit saaca.org.
Article written by:
Matt Sterner
More about MattAt a very young age, Matt Sterner was gifted with the artistic ability to masterfully roll a burrito to the highest of standards, but the wrapped medley of delicious innards wasn’t his first love. Matt’s first true love was a combination of reading, writing, and creating. He grew up reading comics, the ingredients list of his shampoo and conditioner bottles, choose-your-own-adventure books, and the Scrabble dictionary — something he found useful when challenging his grandmother to a game.
He attended college at New Mexico State University and graduated with a degree in Digital Filmmaking. One of his favorite classes was screenwriting because he became responsible for the story’s birth before it came to life on-screen. After school, Matt took on numerous positions at a local television station in Tucson. From dealing out stories about heartbreak to producing “fluffier” content for a lifestyle broadcast, he learned what it takes to adapt to the many emotions the world of media can stir. Since 2017, Matt has dabbled in the culinary world of Tucson as well as San Diego, California from time to time.
If you’re in the mood for strange stories, head over to his pride and joy, wonkytimes.com. And in case you’re curious — yes, after all of this time, he still manages to roll a killer burrito.
