Celebrate the rich tastes, smells, and variations of tamales from the Southwest and Mexico at the 19th Annual Tucson Tamal & Heritage Festival!
The cultural event is held every year on the first Saturday of December at Casino Del Sol’s AVA Amphitheater (5655 W. Valencia Rd.) — a Tucson tradition marking the beginning of the holiday season.
The festival typically draws out more than 10,000 people and this year’s event is happening on Saturday, December 7 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
The festival is always free and you just pay for what you want to eat and drink — tamales (of course), fry bread, tacos, burritos, kettle corn, churros, and aguas frescas to name a few.
The event will be fun for the whole family and aside from the food, there’s going to be live local entertainment and the opportunity to shop for unique gifts from Artisan Vendors selling beadwork, jewelry, blankets, and artwork. There’s even going to be a farmers market full of vendors selling jams, hats, soaps, shirts, chiles, and more.
Taste Testers Wanted
And of course, don’t miss the celebrated tamal contest!
The contest is determined by more than 50 judges in four categories including:
- Traditional
- Green Corn
- Gourmet
- Sweet.
Cash prizes from $150 to $500 are given for first, second, and third place in each category, with the top prize of $750 going to the “Best Overall Winner.”
Head out to Casino Del Sol on Saturday, December 7 and have a ball!
Casino Del Sol and the AVA Amphitheater are located at 5655 W Valencia Rd. For more information, visit casinodelsol.com.
Stay in the Tucson Foodie Loop
Weekly digest of new openings, events, and guides. No spam.
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.
