Sneak Peek: Agave Heritage Festival Returns to Tucson in April

The new year brings an explosion of ideas and creativity leading up to the 16th Annual Agave Heritage Festival on Thursday, April 18 – Sunday, April 21. From the beginning in 2008, the festival has been evolving into a multi-layered adventure that offers an in-depth exploration of everything from agave education and sustainability and culinary and spirit culture.

The Agave Heritage Festival celebrates the agave and acknowledges Tucson’s rich cultural history and the traditions that unite the people of the Southwest and the borderlands. This year’s event will take place on April 18-21 at a variety of locations downtown and throughout the community. Reflecting the growth industry of the Agave, a variety of additional performances, and educational experiences will be offered throughout the festival.

Programming and Partnership Director Francisco Terrazas is excited about the growth of the festival. 

“The Agave Heritage Festival is very much a living, breathing event,” said Terrazas. “Because of this, we get to see it evolve and grow every year, and 2024 is no exception. Through a lot of hard work on the part of the entire team, the festival continues to be a celebration of not just the agave plant, but the entire borderlands region.”

“Since the agave plant is so important to so many stakeholders on both sides of the border, we hear from spirits producers to ecologists, artists, conservationists, and more,” Terrazas added. “And because what we do here is so unique, it continues to draw attention and people from all corners of the world. A great example is our friends from Barking Dog cocktail bar in Copenhagen, Denmark, who are coming to share their wonderful cocktails and hospitality with the Tucson community; or the Som do Sisal Youth Orchestra who are coming from Brazil to play traditional music on instruments they actually make from agave plants, and the Mujer Agave women’s collective who work to connect and empower women in various sectors of the agave spirits industry.”

Live Music During the Festival

Two exceptional musical experiences, Flor de Toloache and the Som do Sisal Youth Brazilian Orchestra will be offered at the kick-off concert on Friday, April 19. 

Flor de Toloache, a Latin Grammy award-winning all-female mariachi band, based in New York City, first began playing in the subway where they were noticed by numerous media outlets including the NY Times. In 2014, they released their first album, and then in 2017, they won a Latin Grammy for “Best Ranchero/Mariachi Album” for their second studio album Las Caras Lindas.

Since 2012, the Som do Sisal group has been using sisal fiber (a member of the agave family) production waste to create musical instruments and promote music education for young people whose performances combine the rich musical traditions of Brazil with the imagery of agave cultivation.

Educational Experiences

In advance of the Festival, the University of Arizona College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, as part of its Community Classroom Program, will feature a Masterclass Series related to Agave and heritage, available online and in-person from February 9 – April 16. University experts will cover topics such as Food Writing, the Cultural History of Agave, and Food Sovereignty.

This could be the perfect way to dive into all things Agave and explore topics related to the Festival.

The Agave Spirits Institute returns for the second year with the educational series offering both the Introduction to Agave class on Saturday, April 20, and for the first time in the U.S. the Level One Mezcal Specialist certification on Friday, April 19 and Saturday, April 20.

Open to both consumers and industry professionals, the intro class fee is $210, and the Level One course is $660.

Agave Tradeshow

An expanded Mujer Agave Women’s Collective Expo and Tradeshow will take place on Friday, April 19. 

Mujer Agave is a collective of women in the agave spirits industry where unity, legacy, and joy are taught through diverse conferences and experiences. Started by Sandra Ortiz Brena, who owns a mezcal bar called In Situ and a brand called Mezcasiarca, Silvia Philion who owns a mezcal bar called Mezcaloteca and a brand of the same name, and Graciela Angeles Carreño who owns and operates a very well-known brand of mezcal called Real Minero (all based in Oaxaca).

The project is geared towards empowering and connecting female stakeholders in the agave industry across disciplines. Based on the popularity of the 2023 event, this year’s expo has been expanded to a daylong event with networking opportunities, and a tasting of women-produced or owned brands.

Passport Packages

New this year are the Agave Heritage Festival Passport Packages that include tickets to select dinners, entertainment, and tasting events. A Hotel Congress package will also be offered. Passports will be in limited supply and available for purchase for a limited time from now until Wednesday, February 14.

A Local Classic

The mission of the Agave Heritage Festival, now in its 16th year, is to create an opportunity for all interested in continuing to explore and celebrate the agave’s cultural, sustainable, and commercial significance across borders.

Founded in 2008, the Tucson-based Agave Heritage Foundation has grown to include the ever-expanding exploration and uses of the Agave plant in its many forms. The festival has since become a city-wide destination event that spotlights the southwest region through the lens of the agave plant.

“I really think we have a lot to be proud of with the remarkable sense of community the festival has been able to create around an equally remarkable plant,” said Terrazas.

The Agave Heritage Festival celebrates the unique importance and sustainability of the agave plant and borderlands culture with seminars, tasting events, and world-class culinary events.

For the complete schedule of events and to purchase tickets, visit agaveheritagefestival.com.