Tacos Lovers Rejoice at Tacos Fest 2018
Orange Walk Town is known for its tacos and tacos lovers from across the country can attest that the tacos of ‘Shuga City’ are the best. This is why Dillon Jones decided to create a festival around tacos eight years ago. On Sunday, the annual tacos festival took place at the Banquitas House of Culture where visitors got the chance to taste twenty-five different types of the traditional Mexican dish. If you weren’t there, News Five’s Hipolito Novelo has what you missed out.
Hipolito Novelo, Reporting
Tacos lovers rejoiced on Sunday as they flocked to Orange Walk Town for the eight annual Tacos Festival. It was tacos galore at the Banquitas House of Culture. A variation of tacos; beef, chicken, pork and even seafood tacos were available for your tasting pleasure.
Felix Mai
Felix Mai, Resident
“The music is good, the food is good and the whole environment is really nice.”
Hipolito Novelo
“I am sure you’ve tasted some of the tacos out here. Which is your favorite?”
Felix Mai
“I had a chance to taste the fish tacos, pibil; excellent. Those are my favorite. I kind of sampled every stall but those are my favorites.”
Hipolito Novelo
“You took advantage.”
Felix Mai
“Yes, I took advantage.”
And so did many more tacos eaters. Some went for Tere’s Fried Tacos. Awe sold out by mid afternoon.
Tere Awe
Tere Awe, Tere’s Fried Tacos
“Today, fifty pounds of tortilla, none stop. More than last year, every year it gets bigger and bigger.”
Hipolito Novelo
“Did you ever think you will run out of fried tacos?”
Tere Awe
“No. I didn’t expect to sell everything right now. I am done.”
Hipolito Novelo
“Tacos fest closes at nine but you are done already?”
Tere Awe
“Yes I am done. Very busy.”
And the steady stream of people kept William Smith busy as well. Smith was attracting visitors with his seafood tacos.
William Smith
William Smith, Sea Food Tacos
“So we give you the fish fillet, shrimp or the lobster. Put it on a tortilla and then we give you the pico de gallo sauce and after that you are free to choose your own sauces.”
Hipolito Novelo
“How has the reaction been from the people out here?”
William Smith
“Phenomena, actually. Since we came out this morning at around eight thirty we had a constant flow of people coming to our booth.”
La Fonda tacos, operated by Blanca Lopez, was serving up some Mexican style tacos; tacos al pastor which had visitors feeling satisfied.
Blanca Lopez
Blanca Lopez, La Fonda Tacos
“We have today tacos al pastor, Orange Walk tacos; the regular one, pibil. Our pibil is the best in Orange Walk.”
Hipolito Novelo
“What makes it the best in Orange Walk?”
Blanca Lopez
“Because we cook it under the ground so it comes out with a better taste.”
And that taste is what is important for tacos vendors. Orange Walk Town is known for its tacos; it’s a mini industry that contributes significantly to the local economy. This is why Organizer Dillon Jones decided to launch Tacos Festival eight years ago.
Dillon Jones
Dillon Jones, Organizer, Tacos Festival
“We have fifty o ne vendors in orange walk. We did a survey; fifty to fifty two vendors every day that wakes up and sells tacos in Orange Walk. The using a minimum of ten thousand pounds of chicken for the week, over two thousand five hundred pounds of corn tortilla for the week; we are not including the phone calls to bring the tortilla, the tomato, onion, the pepper everything. It is a serious industry and the employment, every vendor has at least two or three persons employed with them so almost two hundred people employed under the tacos belt.”
This year’s tacos festival saw the participation of twenty five vendors which had their tacos tasted and judged by a panel of five persons. After sampling twenty five types of tacos, it was decided that Taqueria La Bendicion had the best tasting tacos.
Evelyn Quim
Evelyn Quim, Taqueria La Bendicion
“It’s tacos from chicken and beef.”
Hipolito Novelo
“What is your secret?
Evelyn Quim
“I can’t say.”
Hipolito Novelo
“How has the response been from the customer today?”
Evelyn Quim
“Good.”
Hipolito Novelo
“How many pounds of meat or tortilla have you sold?”
Evelyn Quim
“One hundred pounds.”
Hipolito Novelo
“How is the meat prepared?”
Evelyn Quim
“With love.”
Hipolito Novelo
“That’s your secret.”
Evelyn Quim
“Yes, that’s my secret.”
Reporting for News Five, I am Hipolito Novelo.
