A customer orders tacos from Si Señor Taco at Columbus Taco Fest. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Columbus Taco Fest
While Cazuela’s and Condado are on-campus staples when it comes to tacos, Buckeyes who want to spice up their usual orders may find new favorites at Columbus Taco Fest.
The festival has gathered Columbus foodies together since 2018 and will offer a diverse range of tacos from 24 food trucks this year, Columbus Taco Fest’s organizer Hugo Alobornoz said. Alobornoz — who also owns House of Media, a Columbus-based marketing agency and one of Taco Fest’s prominent business partners — said the event reflects Columbus residents’ rich appetites.
“I realized that Columbus is a very foodie city, and when I traveled the states going to different events, I went to New Orleans where there was a taco event, and it made me go, ‘That’s a great idea, why don’t we have one in Columbus?’” Albornoz said. “There already was a food truck fest, so let’s do a food truck fest but with tacos.”
Due to the festival’s growth in popularity, Albornoz said House of Media expanded the festivities from the traditional, one-time spring event to include a fall event starting in 2021. Due to cancellations during the pandemic, 2023 marks the first year Columbus Taco Fest will have both a spring and a fall celebration, according to the festival’s website.
“We always had it in the spring,” Albornoz said. “During the pandemic, we had to cancel the spring one. Then in 2021, when everything opened again, the city gave us Goodale Park in October. Everyone loved it.”
To improve the festival’s efficiency, a cover fee of $5 in advance or $7 at the door is now required for entry, the website states.
“This is the first event that we’re charging,” Albornoz said. “The problem was that we haven’t been charging since the beginning, but it’s getting so crowded that it’s a way to control the crowd, a way to be organized and for [safety]. This is new territory for us.”
Walter Eguez, owner of Tortilla Street Food truck and a participating vendor at this year’s festival, said Tortilla serves build-your-own Mexican dishes like burritos, bowls, quesadillas and — of course — tacos.
“When you come to the truck, you tell us what to put in the food,” Eguez said. “You tell us if you want rice, you tell us what meat you want, you tell us if you want cilantro. You don’t come and order steak tacos and we tell you what’s on it, you make it your way, make it yourself.”
Eguez said Tortilla has been in business for a decade, maintaining a consistent desire to cater to the needs of its clientele. This goal translates directly into the food truck’s festival appearance, he said.
“Twenty years ago, you didn’t see festivals like you do today,” Eguez said. “You didn’t see venues like you do today or businesses opening their doors to food trucks like you see. Then we discovered the Ohio State Fair and the Food Truck Festival at the Columbus Commons. We started before the boom and we played that wave.”
Eguez said Columbus Taco Fest is an event he always looks forward to as a Columbus small business owner. In fact, Tortilla has been a part of Taco Fest since its inaugural event, he said.
“There’s so many festivals, but in terms of business and the people, the Taco Fest is the number one festival of the year for us,” Eguez said. “I think people should come enjoy this festival, it’s great.”
Columbus Taco Fest will take place at Goodale Park Saturday from noon to 10 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 8 p.m. More information about Columbus Taco Fest, including how to purchase tickets in advance, can be found on the festival’s website.
