On March 30th from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Austin American-Statesman parking lot, the National Taco Championships officially kicks off and will feature: a top-shelf Tequila Expo; the Ay Chihuahua! Beauty Pageant; Lucha Libre Wrestling; Hot Chili Pepper Contest; Day of the Dead Wedding; local bands, DJs, and more. Most importantly, the festival will grant attendees access to tacos ($3 each) prepared by 35+ competing professional taco makers, restaurants, chefs, and food trucks.
Featured Austin concepts competing for the region’s Top Taco include: Be More Pacific, Eldorado Café, Torchy’s Tacos, Gabriela’s, Holy Taco!, and House of the Rising Tanuki-san with more to come.
Starting in 2010, the National Taco Championship is the only sanctioned National Taco Competition in the country. Entering its tenth anniversary since the inaugural event in Scottsdale, Arizona—including over 300,000+ attendees and over a million tacos and margaritas—the National Taco Championships is bringing its show on the road. Additional stops include San Francisco, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and finally Las Vegas for the $100,000 Grand Championship showdown in November.
Tickets On Sale
There are many ways to attend the National Taco Championships in Austin with two different ticket options—General Admission ($15-$20) and VIP ($120). Plus, for agave aficionados, experience the Tequila Expo ($20) add-on, showcasing 30 tequila brands and samples of over 100 tequila expressions. Tickets to the National Taco Championships in Austin are on sale now and can be purchased by visiting NationalTacoChampionships.com/tickets.
Join In The Fun
Austinites can join in on the fun, whether you’re a pup, performer, or just a taco lover. As an officially sanctioned Taco Society Judge, volunteer, Ay Chihuahua! Beauty Pageant or Austin Hot Chili Pepper contestant, or a performing band/DJ. For official rules, regulations, and more information about how to apply to be on the Taco Team, stage contests, and vendors, visit NationalTacoChampionships.com/austin.