City of Atascadero Presents the Winners of the 10th ANNUAL Tamale Festival!

02 May 2026

The City of Atascadero 10th Annual Tamale Festival had over 100 vendors in attendance with twenty-three vendors specializing in tamales of all kinds from our local restaurants, as well as from across California!

Each year, the festival hosts a “Best Tamale” Contest, a Tamale Eating Contest and a Chihuahua & Pet Costume Contest! Following are the results:

BEST TAMALE CONTEST

Best Overall Tamale – Mary’s Cuisine Catering, San Luis Obispo

Group photo at the 2026 Tamale Festival showing the Best Overall Tamale winners, Mary’s Cuisine Catering from San Luis Obispo, standing on the steps of Atascadero City Hall and holding their trophies, with event judges posed behind them. — Best Overall Tamale - Mary's Cuisine Catering

Group photo of the 2026 Best Overall Tamale judges at the Atascadero Tamale Festival, standing together holding trophies and wearing aprons decorated with tamales and the words “Masa Madness.” — 2026 Tamale Festival Judges

Traditional Tamale Winners:

1st Place – La Luz Del Mundo, Victorville
2nd Place – Mary’s Cuisine Catering, San Luis Obispo
3rd Place – La Luz Del Mundo, Madera

Gourmet Tamale Winners:

1st Place – Mary’s Cuisine Catering, San Luis Obispo
2nd Place – Savina’s Homemade Tamales, Santa Maria
3rd Place – Beth’s Tamales, Santa Maria

TAMALE EATING CONTEST

Winners (12 & Over):

1st Place – Anthony Elisarraras
2nd Place – Addisyn Masallo

Group photo of the 2026 Tamale Festival Tamale Eating Contest winners (age 11 and under), with one person holding a trophy and another holding a ribbon, standing on either side of the event MC. — 11 & Under Tamale Eating Contest Winners

Winners (11 & Under):

1st Place – Aden Nunez
2nd Place – Jaylee Elvira Silva

CHIHUAHUA & PET COSTUME CONTEST!

Group photo of the 2026 Pet Chihuahua Costume Contest winners seated on the steps of Atascadero City Hall with their costumed dogs, holding trophies and ribbons, with the event MC and judges sitting and standing behind them. — 2026 Chihuahua & Pet Costume Contest Winners

Trophy ~ Best Overall: Chloe & Paco - Owner Angela Flores
Best Costume: Penny, Owner, Aurora Acosta
Best Look Alike: Tina & Owner, Bethany

The City of Atascadero sends out a sincere thank you to this year’s sponsors: Platinum Sponsors: Avila Traffic Safety; Gold Sponsor Central Coast Carts, Silver Sponsors Cal Poly Athletics, 5 Star Rain gutters, CK Farr Dentistry, CHC – Community Health Centers, Renewal by Andersen, Leaf filter systems, Waste Management and Bronze Sponsors: Kenneth’s Heating & Air, and MGP Coatings. Our media sponsors: American General Media (KJUG, KZOZ, KVEC), Dimes Media (Wild 106, the Grade), New Times, KPRL, UP + Adam & What’s Up North County.

Special thanks to Subtone Records; Emcee Francisco Ramirez; the Famous Dancing Horses; Manuel Enrique Ranchero Artist & his Horse; Mariachi Azteca de Oro, Lo Mejor de Jalisco Mariachi Band, Bubble Fun 101, Paso A Pasito Folkloric Dance Group, Ballet Folklorico Flor de Luna Dance Group, the Zongo All Stars Band, Brass Mash Band, Central Coast Zoo Foundation; all tamale tasting judges, pet judges and our amazing team of volunteers, vendors who traveled here from all over California and to Margarita Man and all of our local breweries, wineries, and cideries who participated and Waffles the Miniature Donkey!

Thank you to everyone for making our 10th Annual Tamale Festival a success!