Tamale Fest Returns Saturday to Downtown San Angelo

SAN ANGELO, TX — Tamale Fest returns Saturday to downtown San Angelo, offering free admission, dozens of vendors and a full day of food, music and contests beginning at 11 a.m. in front of the Pop Art Museum. 

Organizers with UP Positive Promotions will close one block of Twohig Street for the event at 125 W. Twohig St. Roughly 80 to 100 craft and food vendors are expected. The street closure is limited to one block because setup must occur before the Veterans Day Parade. 

A tamale-eating contest will feature a maximum of 10 contestants who will compete to finish one dozen tamales the fastest. Entry costs $30 and is first-come, first-served the day of the event. The winner receives a championship belt and a $200 Cavender’s gift card. 

Tamale vendors will also compete in a judging contest with categories for best traditional (pork or chicken), best original, judges’ choice and people’s choice. A new category this year is sweet tamales. Attendees can vote for people’s choice by scanning a QR code and answering questions for a chance to win a $200 Cavender’s gift card.

DJ Mirage will provide music starting at 11 a.m. Grupo Anexado, a group from McAllen, will perform from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Lake View High School’s Mariachi Los Caciques will also appear. 

A VIP passport, available for purchase the day of the event, includes a Tamale Fest T-shirt while supplies last, a $5 Texas Roadhouse gift card, local business offers and one free tamale from each participating vendor. Additional giveaways include a raffle for a pair of Justin boots at the Cavender’s booth and a $100 gas card for the closest guess in a hot-tamale counting contest.