All of the Entertainment, Games, Music and More at Taco Fest

May 12, 2023

Taco Fest is only two days away and we couldn't be any more excited! We’ve already had a look at the 60+ different kinds of tacos that will be on offer from our 20+ vendors at the festival so now let's take a gander at what else we have in store…

If you participated in our Juicy Burger or Cheesy Pizza Month then you’ll already be familiar with this concept. Everyone at the festival will be given a Taco Passport, visit any taco vendor, order any taco, and you will get a stamp to add to your passport (max. one stamp per taco vendor). Be one of the first 300 people to collect 12 stamps and win a taco-themed magnet! The first 50 people will also win a plushie of our Taco Fest mascot Rong Momo!

You can also earn yourself a secret extra stamp by posting a photo from the fest with the hashtag #theBeijingertacofest on the following social media channels: WeChat moments, WeChat channel, Instagram, Little Red Book (but not limited to these!) and show it to a staff member at the Beijinger booth and they’ll give you a theBeijinger stamp which counts towards the 12.

Courtesy of Guanto Family Sports Center, which operates a huge playground in Shunyi, we've got a big Fun Zone set up that's perfect to keep kids occupied or a great opportunity for you to embrace your inner child! The setup here is like a mini carnival with things like ring toss games, building blocks, mini trampolines, and even an arcade section that will have claw machines, whack-a-mole, and arcade basketball.

Thanks to DARTSLIVE we will also have some electronic dartboards too for you to try out your skills and challenge your friends.

As with all of our food festivals, we'll have a stage set up for performances from some of Beijing's best bands, DJs, and dance troupes. There will also be some interactive games where you can win prizes throughout the Fest!

The first of our interactive games will be the Spanish Tongue Twister Competition. Eight competitors, who can't be native Spanish speakers, will be invited onto the stage to compete against each other. There will be three rounds, during which contestants will have to recite a Spanish tongue twister which will be judged by our native Spanish speaker judges.

All those brave enough to compete will, of course, receive prizes and we will then have special prizes for first, second, and third place. If you think you have what it takes to win, you can sign up by joining the Spanish Tongue Twister group via scanning the QR code below.

In case you didn't know Saturday is May 20 or rather 520, one of China's many Valentine's Days so in honor of this we thought we’d play Cupid and create a bit of romance of our own with a fun Dating Game which we will run both Saturday and Sunday. For this game, we’ll be doing a The Bachelor and The Bachelorette type situation where we will have one round where a lady selects her chosen date and a man picks his chosen date by asking the selected suitors questions, but there's a twist, the Bachelor or Bachelorette won't be able to see them!

The winning couples will get a voucher for a special set menu for two at Las Musas which will include some of their new dishes that are yet to be launched, paired with Mexican spirit-tasting flights and Las Musas signature margaritas. All participants will also receive a prize.

Jay 1,2 is a music purist selector who has been playing vinyl since arriving in Beijing in 2007. Hailing from the techno capital of the world Detroit, Michigan; Jay is known for keeping dance floors blazing in China and internationally for over 20 years. He's played at the annual 8x8 beer festivals, Boxing Cat, Zhao Dai, WeWork, corporate events, embassies, and across other cities in China. His eclectic selections of blending deep house, funk, disco, world music, northern soul, rarities, and golden age hip-hop have made sonic soundscapes at Migas, 4corners, and the like memorable, classic nights. His "Prince vs. Michael Jackson" parties where he plays their entire catalog are also a fan favorite and crowd pleaser. In his own words: "For me, the beauty of music is that itʼs the soundtrack to a person's life. No matter who you are or where you are, when you hear a song that you’ve heard before, it could take you back to that special place to where you heard it for the first time."

Now, we couldn't have a Taco Fest without some Latin American dance thrown in! We will have EMASALSA joining us to show off their amazing Latin American dance moves. EMASALSA is led by Teacher Ema who has been promoting Latin American culture and music through dance for 19 years. She has worked with many Latin American embassies here in China and has taught thousands of students over the years.

Hailing from Croatia, Tea is no stranger to our festivals, having played at one of our Pizza Festivals in the past. Tea likes to mix fresh R&B, Hip-hop, pop, and soul songs with jazz and acoustic-driven grooves. She made a commitment to bring these contemporary sounds to Beijing and promises to bring something fresh and sexy to the ears of you and your many secret lovers.

TroVanda is an authentic mixture of Caribbean and Latin American styles of music. The ensemble combines traditional and modern sounds, the beauty of Spanish lyrics, and enchanting rhythms that will transport you to La Habana. TroVanda was created in Beijing in 2019 with musicians from Cuba, Chile, and the Canary Islands. Their repertoire includes a variety of genres: Boleros, Cancion, Salsa Guaracha, Changui, Bachata, and Cumbia to name a few. The band is made up of Norman Mariquez on Bass Eduardo Barroetabeña on percussion and Redis Hinojosa on keys.

It just wouldn't be a Beijinger event without one of our favorite DJs, Dairon Cardona, AKA DJ Arquitect. One of Beijing's most popular Latin Music DJs he plays a mix of Latin, Afro, Caribbean, and house music to create great energy on the dance floor.

You can check out the full stage schedule below:

That is one killer lineup of fun, so what are you waiting for get your tickets now by scanning the QR code in the poster below! Presale Tickets are RMB 20, or Onsite Tickets are RMB 30. If you want to make sure you're guaranteed those tacos you've been dying to try, we recommend getting there around noon on Saturday (those with kids remember that children under 140cm get in for free before 2pm) or coming on Sunday if you really want to avoid the crowds!

Taco Fest will be taking place May 20-21 at Tiantongyuan Culture and Arts Center which is located at the intersection of Taipingzhuang Zhongyijie and Lishuiqiao Beilu, with a total construction area of 35,000 square meters. It has four floors above ground level and two floors below ground level. It is part of the three-year action plan of "Huitian Area" and a major livelihood project to effectively improve the public cultural service facilities in Huitian Area, directly serving more than 400,000 people and benefiting 850,000 Huitian residents. The center is a cultural home for the people of Tiantongyuan.

READ: Taco Fest Is Almost Here: Check Out All the Amazing Vendors

Images: courtesy of the vendors and performers, the Beijingers

Taco Fest is only two days away and we couldn't be any more excited! (unquote)

Might I suggest decaf. Xanax as needed.

And remember, whether there are any tacos at all depends on whether the authorities start demanding taco licenses from vendors. The gig could crumble like Pancho Villa planting his grande-sized culo gordo on a hard taco shell.

"Forced egalitarianism has slain far more than did any Holocaust"--- Vidad Kude