Riverside Tamale Festival to feature food competition, music, dancing

Mariachi bands, folklorico dancing and hot tamales will fill White Park in downtown Riverside on Saturday for the 10th annual Riverside Tamale Festival.

“The festival is a great opportunity to experience the talent of our region,” according to RivTamaleFest.com. “From bands, dancers, musicians and Lucha Libre, this festival is an annual highlight for attendees. What could be better than enjoying delicious tamales while supporting local businesses?”

During Saturday’s fest, which gets underway at 11 a.m., there will be a “best tamale competition,” along with musical and dance performances by Eddie Avila & Co., El Santo Golpe, Outlaw Mariachi, Felipe Orozco y Su Banda and other groups.

Numerous vendors will be on hand, and a kids’ play zone will be available in the park.

The nonprofit Spanish Town Heritage Foundation organizes the events. Some of the proceeds from this year’s tamale sales will go to support ongoing restoration of the Trujillo Adobe.

The 160-year-old edifice, which is recognized by the state as a “historic place of interest,” is located at 3669 W. Center St.

According to the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the home symbolizes the efforts of its original owner Lorenzo Trujillo to lead migrants, mostly Native Americans, who were escaping Spanish persecution to safety, often via the Old Spanish Trail. The house formed the heart of what eventually became the La Placita de los Trujillos community.

The goal is to convert it to a cultural and educational site. Last year, state lawmakers appropriated $10.4 million toward the restoration.

Additional information is available at rivtamalefest.com.

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