City of Atascadero Presents the 10th Annual Tamale Festival Weekend Friday & Saturday, May 1st & 2nd

The City of Atascadero is pleased to announce the 10th Annual Tamale Festival to be held in the Sunken Gardens and Downtown Atascaderoon Friday, May 1st from 5 pm until 9 pm and Saturday, May 2nd from 11 am until 7 pm!

The festival will kick off on Friday, May 1st starting at 5 pm with “Fiesta Friday!” Enjoy a variety of Tamale vendors with an opportunity to purchase tamales without the crowds. The Central Coast Zoo Foundation will be providing adult beverages for purchase in the Sunken Gardens offering everything from margaritas to wine, beer, cider, and more. The festival will feature live music with the Zongo All Star Band and all tamale vendors will be open for a “Sneak Peak” along with an opportunity to purchase your favorite tamales before the main event on Saturday!

The 10th Annual Tamale Festival’s Main Event will take place on Saturday, May 2nd from 11 am until 7 pm and will not disappoint! This year, there will be over 100 vendors on display from tamales to a wide variety of food beyond tamales to appease everyone’s palate and appetite! If you are thirsty, there will be margaritas, craft beer, wine, and cider plus a variety of merchandise vendors. Out of the 100 plus vendors, over twenty are tamale vendors! This showcase of tamales represents vendors from across California offering a variety of tamales for purchase from gourmet to traditional to sweet tamales.  Entertainment will include your favorite Emcee, Francisco Ramirez, along with an action-packed schedule featuring Ranchero Artist Manuel Enrique, the Famous Dancing Horses, Mariachi Azteca de Oro, Mariachi Lo Mejor de Jalisco Mariachi Band, the Ballet Folklórico Flor de Luna Dancers, and the Paso A Posito Folklorico Dance group! Live music will also include the Brass Mash band plus bounce houses, obstacle courses, and bungee jumps from Bubble Fun 101 along with face painting, balloon animals, a photo booth with “Waffles” the miniature donkey and plenty of fun for all ages!

The “Best Tamale Contest” will be in the works, where all the tamale vendors can showcase their outstanding work to our celebrity judges to decide the “best” tamale. Winning tamale vendors will be announced around 12 noon! Two very popular contests not to miss, the “Chihuahua Pet & Costume Contest” taking place at 2 pm, and the “Tamale Eating Contest” taking place at 3 pm - both on the steps of City Hall!   

DO NOT MISS this popular event! Atascadero’s Annual Tamale Festival weekend, May 1st & 2nd in the beautiful Sunken Gardens in Downtown Atascadero! Plenty of fun is in store and an exciting occasion for the whole family, especially for anyone who loves tamales! The event is free to attend and enjoy entertainment, but don’t forget to bring your wallet to purchase delicious food, adult beverages, activities and merchandise; AND be sure to place your orders from your favorite tamale vendor(s) to stock up, as tamales freeze well too!

THANK YOU to our amazing sponsors! Platinum Sponsor Avila Traffic Safety, Gold Sponsor Central Coast Carts, Silver Sponsors: 5 Star Rain Gutters, A.M. Sun Solar, Renewal by Andersen Windows, CK Farr Dentistry, Cal Poly Athletics, Community Health Centers of the Central Coast (CHC), Leaf Filter Filtration Systems, Waste Management; Bronze Sponsors: Kenneth Heating & Air, MGP Coatings. Media Sponsors include American General Media, Dimes Media, & New Times!

All proceeds from the Tamale Festival’s adult beverage sales on both Friday and Saturday will benefit the Central Coast Zoo Foundation!

For event information and a full entertainment schedule, go to www.VisitAtascadero.com/TamaleFest.