3rd Annual Tamalada Festival 

Saturday, September 28, 2024 | 10 AM - 2 PM

University Boulevard & Memorial Student Union (MSUB) Courtyard 

The Tamalada Festival is an educational, family-friendly event that is free and open to the public. The festival brings presenters and performers from across South Texas and Texas A&M University-Kingsville to celebrate the history and culture of tamales, corn, and tamaladas. 

The Tamalada Festival is also a part of Texas A&M University-Kingsville’s Family Weekend. 

Schedule of Events (tentative-subject to change)

10:00 a.m.

• Groupo Herencia Javelina Folklorico Performance | Javelina Main Stage
  • TAMUK Student Organization
• Tamalada Loteria | Tejas Room, MSUB 1^st Floor
  • Card Callers: TBA

10:30 a.m.

• Grito Contest | Javelina Main Stage
  • 3 categories: Youth (ages 0-15), Women (Ages16+), & Men (Ages16+)
• Tamalada Loteria | Tejas Room, MSUB 1^st Floor
  • Card Callers: TBA

11:00 a.m.

• Conjunto Dance Lessons | Javelina Main Stage
  • Instructor: Keli Rosa Cabunoc
• Tamal Talk I | Tejas Room, MSUB 1^st Floor
  • Panel Title: TBA
  • Panel Names: TBA

11:30 a.m.

• Conjunto Dance Lessons | Javelina Main Stage
  • Instructor: Keli Rosa Cabunoc
• Tamal Talk II | Tejas Room, MSUB 1^st Floor
  • How Corn Has Made a Difference in the World of Plastics
  • Dr. Delia Valles-Rosales, Department Chair Industrial Management & Technology, Texas A&M University-Kingsville

12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.

• Lazaro Perez, Conjunto Performance | Javelina Main Stage
• Tamalada Loteria | Tejas Room, MSUB 1^st Floor
  • Card Callers: TBA

1:30 p.m.

• Javelina Baile Street Dancing | Javelina Main Stage
  • Open dancing to curated playlist of conjunto, Tejano & Texas Country

Stations available throughout the festival: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Family Activities | MSUB Courtyard

• Metate y Mano Corn Grinding Station.  Try your hand at corn grinding on a metate.  
• Children’s Coloring Station.  Sit and color our special edition Tamalada coloring book.
• Piñata Making Station.  Learn the art of piñata making.
• Applied Engineering Technology Station.  Explore the world of Industrial Management & Technology.

Tamalada Tales | MSUB 1^st Floor

• Collecting stories & Pictures. The community is invited to share a story, picture, or memory of the university, tamaladas, or any holiday food tradition.
  • Stories and photos collected will be donated to the South Texas Archives. Individuals will need to sign a release form for story and/or picture collections. Photos will be scanned on site, and stories shared may be recorded.

11 a.m. | Tamal Tasting featuring tamales from Hillcrest Tortillas & Bakery, Inc. MSUB Courtyard. Limit 2 tamales per adult & 1 per child, on a first come, first serve basis.

Additional Dining Options | 11 a.m. (Cost to Festival Attendee)

• Food trucks and Aramark retail selections are not free and the festival attendee is responsible for payment towards any order made to any of the vendors. Check with each vendor for payment options.

Food Trucks.  A selection of local food trucks will be available in front of the MSUB on Santa Gertrudis St. Prices vary by food truck and limited selection may be available.   

Aramark Retail. Chick-fil-A and Pizza Hut counter service available inside the MSUB 1^st floor, adjacent to Tejas Room.