Tamale Fest in Rockford wants you to come for the food, stay for the culture

By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — Organizers of the annual Tamale Fest know their biggest draw is bringing some of the region’s best Mexican food trucks to one location.

But once guests arrive, they find there’s a lot more to do than eat, said Manuel Salgado, president of the nonprofit Mexico Americanos Saliedo Adelante, or MASA, which puts on the event.

“Come for the food and stay for the culture — that’s our motto,” Salgado said. “The food is the draw, that’s what gets people to go, but once you’re there you can’t just eat and leave. There’s so much to see and do.”

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The event, now in its eighth year, runs from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday in the parking lot of U-Haul, the former Kmart, at the corner of State Street and Mulford Road. Admission is $10.

There are 18 food trucks this year, an increase from 14 last year. They come from Rockford, Chicagoland, southern Wisconsin and across the region.

“It’s the most we’ve ever had, but I had to do it because last year a lot of the food trucks sold out by 5 or 6 o’clock,” Salgado said.

Salgado said he started the festival in honor of his late mother, who was selling tamales in town as early as the 1980s. She had a dream of starting tamale restaurant before she died, he said.

Now, the Tamale Fest has helped launch other entrepreneurs’ businesses. Take for example Marrufo’s Tacos, which started as Sabores Mobile Kitchen and won the annual Tamale Fest title for Rockford’s best tacos twice. The sit-down restaurant opened at 3222 S. Alpine Road in July, and now owner Jesus Marrufo is serving as a Tamale Fest judge.

“A lot of our award-winning businesses have flourished from vendors to food trucks to now brick-and-mortars,” Salgado said.

This year, Tamale Fest also has multiple vendors under the age of 18, something Salgado hopes will help encourage their budding business careers.

The event also has lucha libre wrestlers, live music, Aztec dancers, a meet-and-greet with actor and influencer Mario Ponce and low-rider vehicles, including some as part of the Wego World Tour. There is also a jalapeño eating contest, Miss Latina pageant and, of course, a competition for who has the best tamales in town.

“We want you to feel like you walked into a festival in Mexico or in east L.A.,” Salgado said. “It’s a multicity gathering: Low-riders from all across the U.S., vendors from all across the Midwest, entertainers, artists and cultural ambassadors from all over the tri-state area.”

If you go | Tamale Fest of Rockford

When: 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 7

Where: U-Haul parking lot, 5909 E. State St., Rockford

Cost: $10

Details: tamalefest815.com

Main stage schedule

1 p.m. – Gates open, greetings and prayer
2 p.m. – Lucha Libre Con Galli
3 p.m. – Lucha Libre Con Galli
4 p.m. – Huecoyotl (Aztec Dancers)
5 p.m. – Awards (Car Show & Tamales)
5:30 p.m.  – Jalapeño Eating Cnntest
5:45 p.m. – Miss Latina Contest
6 p.m. – Banda/Grupo
7 p.m. – Banda/Grupo

This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas