This Massive Taco Festival Will Make You Want To Book A Flight To Arizona
This Massive Taco Festival Will Make You Want To Book A Flight To Arizona
This October, the largest taco festival in the U.S.—and one of the oldest—celebrated its 10th anniversary. Whether you went to the Scottsdale, AZ, event or want to start planning for next year, here's everything you need to know about the two-day-long festival, starting with the fact that 200,000 (!!) tacos were served from more than 50 local vendors. NBD.
It's at a new location this year.
The event has grown so much that the city moved the 2019 event to WestWorld of Scottsdale, a 300,000-square-foot indoor-outdoor venue.
There's PLENTY of food.
Fifty-plus competitors will be serving steak, pork, seafood, veggie, and vegan tacos all weekend in hopes of winning the $10,000 cash prize—and bragging rights, of course.
Really—you'll want to come hungry.
Some of the competitors to watch this year include Taco Chelo, known for their fish and carne asada tacos, and Tocaya Organica, which specializes in vegan, gluten-free tacos.
Don't bring cash.
This is a cashless event! You can pay with credit or debit cards; tacos are $3 each.
There's tons of alcohol, too.
Tacos and margaritas are basically a package deal. There are multiple bars serving margs, beer, soft drinks, etc.
And a full-on tequila expo.
The festival's tequila expo houses more than 100 different kinds of the booze. For $20, you'll receive a wristband with 10 tabs to tear off for, you guessed it, 10 samples of tequila. Photos from last year show a mix of shots and mini mixed drinks.
Plus, multiple competitions...
It wouldn't be a food festival without some competitions. Here, there's a contest going on everywhere you look. For those looking to prove their taco eating abilities, feel free to enter the Taco Gordo Eating Contest.
...from taco to chili pepper feats.
Whoever can withstand five rounds of peppers, including the world's hottest peppers, will be crowned champion of the Hot Chili Pepper contest. Bonus points (we hope) if you show up in a taco hat.
And a Chihuahua beauty pageant, too!
Twenty-plus pups will compete for glory in costume. Get your phone ready.
Don't skip the Lucha Libra Arena.
You don't have to go to Mexico City to see masked wrestlers perform. There are multiple bars inside the tented arena, so consider this your chill spot when you need a break from all the eating.
Guests can also visit the hot sauce tent to sample some of the 100 hot sauces curated by Vic Clinco, who just so happens to own the largest private collection of hot sauces in the world. Weird flex, but we're into it.
Did we mention there's a Chihuahua Beauty Pageant?