The 9th Annual Arizona Taco Festival - Let's Taco Bout It
It was the most glorious weekend that could have been -Tacos & Margaritas! This little slice of heaven is known as the Arizona Taco Festival. Taking place at the Salt River Fields at Talking Stick in Scottsdale, Arizona, the 2-day festival prides itself on it's originality, impeccable taste, and fun for all ages!
Despite the two-day festival getting somewhat a 'rocky' start, as some would cal it, it didn't stop the foodies from coming out in droves! "Over 6,000 taco lovers still came out to party," says co-founder David Tyda. "They took their shoes off and danced in the rain, proving that Taco Festival fans are the absolute best kind of people," says Tyda.
This years taco festival brought such a variety of flavor and flair it still remains unbeatable. From veggie and seafood tacos, to vegan, pork, fried cheese shells and more - there is not shortage of originality at this fest. There is literally every taco you can imagine as well as other items!
The Tequila Masters took the stage on Saturday, showcasing renowned tequilas, Sunday opted for a Margarita spotlight. About 10-12 various restaurants around the valley brought an original margarita to the forefront using Partida Tequila (to keep the playing field even!) One that stood out was the wine margarita from La Hacienda! A simple favorite topped with a dehydrated lime and Cabernet wine made for the perfect Sunday beverage! "We opted to sample one of our top sellers, its simple and refreshing," states Miljan Vidovic, the General Manager of La Hacienda. "In house we have over 300 tequilas, and we also recently renovated and created a new cocktail menu." It's no wonder how this restaurant has won, "Best Restaurant in Arizona," for 10 years in a row!
Social Hall also participated in the festivities. This trendy spot chose an interesting take on the 'Prickly Pear Margarita! Five simple ingredients, Partida Tequila, campari, lime, prickly pear gum, and agave = one complex beverage! Located in Tempe Arizona, this spot boasts Latin/American fare in a beautifully well-decorated space with added pub style games to match! Artizen, Spotted Donkey, Restaurant Progress, Modern Margarita were a few of the other participating 'Margarita Masters!'
Now on to the good stuff - Tacos! Some restaurants opted for simple street style tacos while others packed on the layers of flavor! Nando's, Gadzooks, El Hefe, Taste of Korea, TacoCat, Rubio's, Z'Tejas were just a few of the many restaurants on site. In addition to the many food vendors, there was a few entertainment aspects happening throughout the day. There were Lucha Libra Wrestling, Chihuahua Pageants, and live music was a nice addition!
Although some of the Saturdays participants were onsite Sunday (and vice versa) it was still a good time and was the perfect exploration of tastebuds as ever could be!
As expected, it was another fun year at the BEST festival, hands down! We can't wait to see what is in store for next year!
