New California festival to bring tamales, margaritas — and a job fair — to Stanislaus County

Who doesn’t love a good tamale, or making money? Stanislaus County residents can get their fair share of the Mesoamerican treat at the inaugural California Tamale Festival in the fall — and maybe even get a job in the process.

Riverbank resident Armando Duldulao is putting on the event, which will take place Oct. 15 between noon and 7 p.m. at the Stanislaus County Fairgrounds in Turlock. Aside from a host of activities and entertainment (and plenty of shopping), visitors can attend a job fair that will be held during the event.

“Sunday is the whole enchilada,” Duldulao said.

Duldulao is also coordinating with local animal shelters to bring adoptable pets to the festival, which can be taken home the same day.

Here’s more information about the event, including details about the food and entertainment, and how to get tickets:

Food and entertainment at the Stanislaus County Fairgrounds

The festival will have a “cultural mix” of food and music, Duldulao said. “Tamale alley” will have 15 vendors dishing out a variety of food, including Oaxacan Tamales of Riverbank.

The family-owned business will bring traditional, vegetarian/vegan and special flavors of banana leaf-wrapped tamales to the festival in October.

“There (will be) things there that you can’t pronounce but their tastes are out of this world,” Duldulao said. “People are gonna see things that they haven’t even heard of, but they’re all beautiful, great-tasting foods.”

Currently, the festival has agencies including the California Highway Patrol, the Merced County Sheriff’s Office, the Turlock Police Department and military personnel lined up to do recruiting and host informational booths regarding hiring.

Duldulao is inviting any employer to contact him to set up a booth and expand the job fair to a variety of job types and skill levels. He can be reached by phone at 209-840-2723 and by email at gentspro123@gmail.com.

There will be more than 200 hot rods, low riders, motorcycles and trucks at the festival’s car show, and around 100 shopping and informational vendors.

Other entertainment includes:

• Petting zoo

• Reptile show

• Train and pony rides

• Folklorico shows

• Halloween costume contest

• Beer and margarita alleys

• Home garden show

• Live music featuring Vegas McGraw, ZZ Tush, a 15-piece banda and more

Parking and ticket information for the California Tamale Festival

The cost of entrance to the festival varies by age:

• Children 7 and under- free

• 8 to 17- $15

• 18 to 64- $25

• Military with ID- $15

• 65 and older with ID- $15.

Tickets can be purchased at the door or on EventBrite.

The fairground’s north parking lot will be open for the event. Parking is $10.

What is the California Tamale Festival?

October’s event will be Duldulao’s first time hosting an event like this one in Stanislaus County. He coordinated three tamale festivals in Stockton between 2015 and 2017 but did not continue during or after the COVID-19 pandemic, he said.

“I just wanted to bring something special to Turlock and diversify culture,” Duldulao said. “What’s better to diversify with (than) rich, good food?”

Duldulao’s long-term goal is to expand the tamale festival to two days and add carnival rides and more activities.

“There’s something for everybody,” Duldulao said. “My most important thing is meet and greet and have fun, communicate, learn and know of other cultures.”

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