May 4, 2024
11am - 7pm
The City of Atascadero is pleased to announce the
8th Annual Tamale Festival
WINNERS OF THE 2024 Festival:
BEST TAMALE CONTEST
Best Overall Tamale - Award Winning Tamales
Traditional Tamale Winners:
1st Place - Award Winning Tamales
2nd Place - Super Tamales
3rd Place - La Luz del Mundo, Paso Robles
Gourmet Tamale Winners:
1st Place - La Luz del Mundo, Visalia
2nd Place - La Luz del Mundo, Oxnard
3rd Place – Beth’s Tamales
TAMALE EATING CONTEST
Winners (12 & over):
1st Place – AJ Fragoso
2nd Place – Justin Turner
Winners (11 & under):
1st Place – Roman Leon
2nd Place – Gabby Castaneda
CHIHUAHUA & PET COSTUME CONTEST!
1st Place ~ Best Overall: Phoebe, Owner Vikky Mullin
2nd Place ~ Best Costume: Maude, Owner, Ryan Duclos
3rd Place ~ Best Lookalike: Pepper & Owner, Liam Shutt
Honorable Mention ~ Gidget, Owner Carla Garcia
If you missed the event this year,
SAVE THE DATE: May 2nd & 3rd, 2025!
THANK YOU to our amazing sponsors! Gold Sponsors: Avila Traffic Safety, & Kirk Consulting; Silver sponsors: A.M. Sun Solar, Springhill Suites by Marriott, Waste Management; Bronze Sponsors: 5 Star Rain Gutters, Planet Fitness Atascadero, and T-Mobile. All proceeds from the Tamale Festival’s adult beverage sales on Saturday will benefit the Friends of the Charles Paddock Zoo!
Enjoy over 100 vendors from tamales to a wide variety of food beyond tamales to appease everyone’s palette 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, thirty are tamale 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 Medina Light Show Designs, plus a wide variety of music from Voces Tapatias Mariachi, Mariachi Mexicanisimo, Ranchero Artist Manuel Enrique & his horse, the Famous Dancing Horses, and two Folklorico Dance groups our of Paso Robles, Paso A Pasito Group and Paso Balle Folklorico!
Live music will be featured across the Downtown with Dante’ Marsh and the Vibe Setters, La Marcha Sound, Steppin’ Out Band, and Brass Mash! Enjoy bounce houses, Zorb Balls, obstacle courses, and bungee jumps from Bubble Fun 101, 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 the tamale vendors showcase their outstanding work to our celebrity judges to decide the “best” tamale. Winning tamale vendors will be announced between 12-12:30 pm!
Two popular contests not to miss, the “Chihuahua & Pet Costume Contest” at 2 pm, and the “Tamale Eating Contest” at 3 pm - both on the steps of City Hall! Registration will be available at the Information booth for a nominal registration fee! Pets of all kinds can enter the Chihuahua & Pet Costume Contest, as long as they are in costume!
Tamale Festival Event Line-up
City Hall Stage:
- 10:30 – 12 Noon: Best Tamale” Judges Choice: Judging takes place at City Hall – Not open to the public
- 11:00 am: Tamale Festival Opens with Mayor Moreno & Mariachi Voces Tapatias
- 11:30 am: Folklorico Dancers: Paso A Pasito Dance Group & Paso Ballet Folklorico
- 12:00 pm:
Winners of the Best Tamale Contest Announced & & Photo ops at their booths
Horses available for viewing & photo ops
Waffles, the Miniature Donkey, available for photos from 12 - 2 pm at the West Mall side of City Hall!
- 12:15 pm: Performance by Ranchero Artist Manuel Enrique & Horse
- 1:00 pm: Famous Dancing Horses & Mariachi Voces Tapatias
- 2:15 pm Chihuahua & Pet Costume Contest (2:00 pm Final entries - sign up at Info Booth corner of West Mall & Palma)
- 3:00 pm Tamale Eating Contest (2:45 pm Final entries - sign up at Info Booth corner of West Mall & Palma)
- 4:30 pm BRASS MASH!
Lewis Stage (on Entrada Ave. at Palma Ave.)
- 11:30 pm La Marcha Sound
- 2:00 pm Dante Marsh & the Vibe Setters
- 5:00 pm Steppin’ Out Band
DO NOT MISS this popular event! Atascadero’s Annual Tamale Festival will be a fun and exciting occasion for the whole family, especially for anyone who loves tamales! The event is free to attend and enjoy the entertainment, but don’t forget to bring your wallet to purchase delicious food, activities, and merchandise; AND be sure to place your orders from your favorite tamale vendor(s) to stock up, as tamales freeze well too!
FAQ's:
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Tickets ARE NOT Required for the Tamale Festival! You purchase directly from the Tamale vendors. Bring cash as not all vendors accept credit cards and there is not an ATM on site.
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Dogs are allowed on leashes.
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Bring your wallet to purchase tamales, food, and extra activities (Zorb Balls, Bungee jump, bounce houses, Tamale Eating Contest and Pet Costume Contest, face painting).
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Plenty of Tamales are available from vegetarian to beef to chicken to pork to sweet. Vegan options are not a guarantee. Other food options are available for purchase!
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Light rain is in the forecast for the afternoon, but the event will go on!
