Must Love Tacos! Add the Taco Festival to Your Fall List

Over the weekend, my partner and I headed from the DC area to Baltimore, Maryland in a search for something to do.

We travel often and this was one weekend in which we didn’t have any set plans.

After looking on social media and chatting with friends, we found an event that boasted about eating tacos.  Who doesn’t love tacos?

So, of course, we wanted to give it a try! What better way to bring in the weekend and enjoy the fall weather, than to enjoy some tacos!

This was my first-time hearing of this event and our first time attending.  Hands down, a fun event and even better food!

What is the Taco Festival?

The Annual Taco Festival in Baltimore is a lively and vibrant event that celebrates everyone’s favorite handheld food – the taco! Bringing together local restaurants, food trucks, and vendors, this festival is a must-visit for taco lovers in the Baltimore area.

The festival features a wide variety of taco offerings from traditional to fusion, catering to all taste buds. Attendees can enjoy tacos filled with delicious meats, fresh vegetables, flavorful sauces, and unique toppings.

Whether you prefer classic beef or chicken tacos, or you’re more adventurous with seafood or vegetarian options, the festival has something to satisfy every craving.

Not Only in Baltimore

If you’re not local to Baltimore or the DMV area, fear not.  The Taco Festivals does have events in other cities around the United States!

Make sure to check out their calendar on the site to get even more details and ticket availability!

Admissions Fee

The Taco Festival event has different entry fees and ticket types.  Of course, depending on how early you purchase your tickets, determines your price.

As of 2023, the General admissions prices ranges from $9.99 for early bird up to $19.99 per person.  General admissions mainly covers your entrance and one drink ticket.

There is also a VIP Admissions option.  This will range from $49.99 for early birds up to $59.99.  VIPs received early entry to the event, an open bar, access to a private area, complimentary water with chips and salsa, along with additional gift bags and other goodies!

Since we purchased our tickets only a few days before the event, we were only able to get general admissions.  For first timers, I was more than happy with just the general admissions option.  If I were planning to go with friends, then maybe I would opt for VIP but it’s definitely not necessary.

Bring Cash!

In order to buy tacos from the different vendors during the event, you must purchase food vouchers in cash only.  No credit cards were accepted.  However, there were conveniently placed ATM machines close by.

Vouchers were $20 for 5 tickets.  Luckily, most everything at the taco festival is just one ticket! One ticket = one taco.

Yes, my image does show the vouchers dated 2022. I went in 2023. I believe they just had a lot leftover and reused what was already printed.

The Tacos

The moment you’ve been waiting for…the Tacos we tried! We skipped breakfast to make sure we could fully enjoy as many tacos as we could digest. This was the only thing we ate all day.

Here’s a snap of the many things we tried and the restaurants.  I also include my personal rating of the taco. 

Mango Habanero Shrimp Taco from Capt’n Crabby

We started off with a shrimp taco.  Good flavor and not overly spicy and nice sweetness.  Our taco was a little cold, but very tasty!

Rating 8/10.

Jerk Chicken with Rice and Plantains from Paradise Island Cuisine

Yes, there’s more than just tacos!  We tried this food truck, and it was so good! They are a Caribbean and pan Asian fusion vendor specializing in BBQ, seafood, and vegan dishes. 

Rating 9/10

Birria from Turbo Mexico

I got the Birria taco with consommé sauce to dip.  It had fresh red onions and cilantro.  Very tasty! However, I do wish my taco had that crispy exterior.

Rating 7.5/10

Tacos al Pastor from Jalapeño Grill

My partner sampled this one and he said it was good. This is a pork taco and he added extra sauce to make it spicy!

Rating 8.5/10

Elotes from Corn Lovers

Can’t go wrong with the classic street corn! I got the classic elote, with mayo, cheese and tajin. My partner got the Flaming Hot Cheetos elote.

Rating 10/10

Churros from Churros and Desserts

Of course, we had to get something sweet.  We got a freshly fried churro topped with crumbled Oreos and crushed Fruity Pebbles.

Rating 10/10

Nachos from Tacos de Carne Estrada

Some basic chicken nachos.  Not the best I’ve ever had, but not the worst.   

Rating 7/10

Short Rib Mac & Cheese Taco from Mexi Cocina

I had to try something different and got a taco with short rib and macaroni and cheese.  Honestly, it wasn’t that bad.  I don’t know if I’d ever go out of my way to get another, but it was nice and cheesy, and the meat complimented it well.

Rating 8/10

Tips for Success

Go Early:  We went as soon as General Admissions opened.  Around 3PM, the lines started to get extremely long, and the wait times increased.

Enjoy the Shows: There are different shows and performances put on throughout the event.  Make sure you take a break from machining to enjoy the atmosphere!

Start with one Sheet of Vouchers: Unless you are going with a bunch of people, I’d suggest starting with one sheet at a time. You can purchase more vouchers throughout the event.  Otherwise, you may be stuck with them!

We got a total of 15 vouchers that we shared between the two of us. We started to get full at a certain point and struggled to use our last few vouchers.