Tag: Arizona Taco Festival

Taco Fest Phx comes to downtown Phoenix this Saturday

Taco aficionado David Tyda is back in the taco festival game with this Saturday’s Taco Fest Phx. The co-founder of the Arizona Taco Festival sold his share of several years ago but that hasn’t stopped him from eating his way through as many tacos as possible and organizing other food festivals in downtown Phoenix.

Tyda and business partner Lisa Duffield block party styled festival will be held over two city blocks near 1st St. & Moreland as the sun goes down from 6 – 11 p.m. Over 10 taco makers and more than twice as many beer, agave and spirits producers will keep the people fed and happy all night.

Taco makers will be making just one kind of taco so you can taste as many tacos as possible from Random AF Taqueria, Lola’s Tacos and Sabor A Mi and more. Firme Mezcal, Codigo 1530 and Avion Tequila will be making margaritas, craft cocktails and offering samples. Complimentary non-alcoholic beverages from Topo Loco Mineral Water, Vita Coco and Alani Premium Purified Water will keep the crowd hydrated. Local DJs Spin, Lizzy, Vinyl Vagos, CRVNT3S and DJ Big Rube will energize the crowd.

A limited amount of tickets for this 21 & over event are $40 and include a wristband for 6 alcoholic beverages. Tacos are to be purchased separate from admission tickets. Discounted Designated Driver tickets for those not drinking alcohol are $15 while supplies last. Tickets for Taco Fest PHX can be purchased at their Eventbrite page. The festival is produced by Phx Fest and presented by Phoenix Magazine and benefits Downtown Phoenix Inc.

Check out my podcast Pulling Corks & Forks: The Podcast with Sandy Wasserman to hear from those in our community. Please subscribe, like & comment.

Bell Bank Park is the new home of the Arizona Taco Festival

When the 13th annual Arizona Taco Festival returns on November 12th and 13th it will have a new home in the East Valley. Mesa’s Bell Bank Park will welcome the popular event along with special guest and celebrity host Aaron May and his Band of Celeb-U-Friends. May is known for his appearances on the Food Network’s “Guy’s Grocery Games” and the NFL’s annual Official Tailgate event before the “big game”.

This year’s Taco Festival will include popular events including Lucha Libre Wrestling, a Hot Chile Pepper & Taco Eating Contest, mariachis and more. New this year will be a Taco Queen Drag Contest, Hot Sauce Expo and Day of the Dead Wedding. The Tequila Expo is now the “Tequila Passport” and attendees can sample over 100 top shelf tequilas all day. “I’m going to make this year’s taco fest into a full Taco-Palooza of epic proportions. I might even get in the wrestling ring with the Luchas!” says May.

Let’s not forget that over 50 local taco vendors and restaurants will be on hand serving up tacos and more while trying to be crowned the “Top Taco” to win $$$ and more.

Doors open at 11 a.m. and goes until 6 p.m. This is a family friendly event with Early Bird tickets available online for $15 and kids under 12 get in for free. Bell Bank Park is at 1 Legacy Dr. Mesa 85212.

Don’t forget to check out my podcast Pulling Corks & Forks: The Podcast with Sandy Wasserman to hear from those in our community. Please subscribe, like & comment.

The Arizona Taco Festival is coming back for its 11th year

2020 may have knocked down the Arizona Taco Festival but it didn’t knock it out as the popular 2 day festival returns in October 2021. This will be the 11th year of the festival that is planned for October 23rd & 24th and will be returning to Salt River Fields.

Over 50 taco vendors will be on hand serving up hundreds or thousands of their homemade tacos and more starting at $3 each. In addition to tacos festival goers can get a Tequila Passport to sample 10 premium tequilas to go with their tacos and 6 chefs from local Mexican restaurants will prepare their specialties at the new Super Food Stations. Vote for your favorite tacos to win the People’s Choice Taco Competition and hang out at one of the shaded party tents with DJs providing music, vendors and bars serving margaritas, beer and more.

Tickets for the 11th Annual Arizona Taco Festival go on sale at 10 a.m. on Friday May 21st at the ticketweb site. General Admission tickets are $14 in advance and $20 day of event. The Tequila Passport is an additional $25 and VIP Tickets are $100 ($120 day of) and include the Passport. The El Presidente ticket is $200 with the Passport, $220 day of. Parking at Salt River Fields is free. For more information head to their website.

 

2nd annual Rock the Guac comes to The Camby Hotel

Calendars are starting to fill up with food festivals and the like with another just announced as Rock the Guac is scheduled on National Guacamole Day on September 16th at The Camby Hotel in Phoenix. 12 Phoenix area chefs will create their version of guacamole for guests to sample and celebrate the delicious food.

Rock the Guac
Matt Carter at last years event. All photos courtesy of Rock the Guac

Rock the Guac chefs

Rock the Guac is brought to us by the same people who brings us Arizona Taco Festival in mid-October. The 12 valley chefs preparing their guacamole for the friendly competition are….

Forest Hamrick- La Hacienda – 2016 Rock The Guac winner

Dushyant Singh- Artizen, Crafted American Kitchen & Bar at The Camby Hotel

Richard Hinojosa- CRUjiente Tacos

Aaron Pool- Gadzooks Enchiladas & Soup

Alex Stratta- Match at The FOUND:RE Phoenix

Mel Mecinas- Private Chef

Aaron May- Goodwood Tavern, Malibu Burger Co.

Jennifer Russo- The Market by Jennifer’s

Fidencio Alatriste- Toro Latin Restaurant

Laura Gonzalez- Taqueria Centro

George Alatriste- The Mission

Beau MacMillan- Elements

Get Tickets

The event starts at 6p.m. and tickets are only available online for $40 in which each guest has unlimited guacamole, 2 drink tickets for margaritas and beer, a taco station hosted by The Camby.  If you’ve ever been to the Arizona Taco Festival then you know there will be plenty of fun and live entertainment on this lively evening. Tickets available here.

Part of the proceeds from Rock the Guac will be donated to Free Arts for Abused Children of Arizona, a non-profit which heals homeless and abused children thought art and expression.

 

Save the Date(s)….lots of events and festivals for foodies in coming months…here’s a list

Summer is slowly coming to an end as kids return to school, the Cardinals take the field and your hearing how Pumpkin Porters & Pumpkin Spiced lattes are only weeks from being available for your consumption. With the cooling weather comes many food and drink related festivals, dinners, release parties and other events, enough to make one’s head spin.
beer drinkers 2

Here is list of a few events that should be on your calendar(in no particular order)……

7th Annual Arizona Taco Festival at Salt Rive Fields. Sat & Sun. October October 15th & 16th starting at 11am. $12 online http://aztacofestival.com/

Wine Country Brunch at The Camby in Phoenix– Sun. September 25th. $65 for more information & tickets http://www.scottsdalefest.org/2016wcb

C-CAP’s 3rd Annual Harvest Moon Feast– Mon. November 14th. Desert Foothills Barn in Scottsdale. $150 http://www.ccapaz.org/

Rockin’ Taco Street Festival in Chandler– Sat. Septeber 15th. Starts at 12 noon $8. http://www.rockintacoaz.com/

SanTan Brewing Co. Oktoberfest, Sat. October 1st, 3pm $12 http://www.santanoktoberfest.com/

2nd Annual Phoenix Pizza Festival– Sat. Nov. 19th Margaret T. Hance Park in downtown Phoenix 11am- 5pm $10 http://www.phoenix.pizza/

Spectator Sips wine dinner at Quintessence at The Farm at South Mtn. Wed. Sept. 28th at 6:30 pm $89++ http://www.qatthefarm.com/page/upcoming-events/

Exploring Vinaigrettes & Specialty Oils at vomFass Scottsdale (at The Waterfront). Sat Aug. 27th 11am $25 www.scottsdale.vomfassusa.com

Make a Wish and Sip for a Cause at Sorso Wine Room in Scottsdale at Scottsdale Quarter. Sat. Aug 28th 11am-10pm. All day Happy Hour. http://www.sorsowineroom.com/

Love & Tacos…….Get married at a taco festival.


Affordable Food Festivals, LLC, has announced the start of a seven-week contest to win an actual wedding at the upcoming Arizona Taco Festival (Oct. 20-21 at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale). The contest invites couples to create a one-minute video expressing why they deserve a fun “taco wedding” at the Fest, with the winner receiving a full ceremony and 50-person reception on the second day of the Arizona Taco Festival—October 21, 2012.

Sponsored by Arizona Weddings Magazine, the ceremony will take place on the main stage and include all the bells and whistles—officiant, décor, music, vow exchange, photographer, and perhaps the most important element: the ceremonial stomping of the tortilla chips. Also included is reception for 50 people that will include a cake, flowers, catered food, hosted bar, and entertainment. Thousands of event attendees will be there to cheer on the newlyweds.

Founders of the Arizona Taco Festival have long been drawn to the catchphrase: “Love & Tacos,” a popular slogan on t-shirts, bumper stickers, and other taco paraphernalia. While planning the upcoming 3rd Annual Arizona Taco Festival, they decided to take the phrase literally, and add a wedding to the weekend festivities.“We’re calling it ‘Wedding Fantastico,’ and we believe this ceremony will amp up the already festive vibe of the taco fest,” says AFF founder, Rick Phillips.

Arizona Weddings is helping to secure wedding components. “So far, we’ve arranged for photography by Jeff Janke, a prominent wedding photographer who’s looking forward to this colorful affair,” says Kristina Celik, Director of Marketing & Promotions for Arizona Weddings Magazine. “This contest not only gives great exposure for our advertisers, but it’s a fun and fresh idea. Our initial call for entries went out today, and I’m excited to see who enters this contest. The videos should be hilarious!”

Interested contestants simply film a video with anything from a smart phone to a professional camera and link their video to the Festival Facebook page (at www.facebook.com/ArizonaTacoFestival). The deadline for entering is September 20th, 2012. The video with the most “Likes” by September 28th will win the ceremony. A full gallery of videos will also appear on www.aztacofestival.com on September 21. Entry forms, rules, and other details can be found at http://aztacofestival.com/wedding/