1. The 15th annual Tamale Festival, where attendees are able to taste and buy a variety of savory and sweet homemade tamales, will take place 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Cesar Chavez Plaza (map) in downtown Phoenix.
2. Admission is free. Local faith-based groups will be selling their homemade tamales to fundraise for their organizations.
3. Festival sponsor Food City also will be selling tamales, menudo, carne asada burritos, durros, aguas frescas, and champurrado (Mexican hot chocolate).
4. The festival also will include jewelry, arts and crafts, live mariachis, ballet folklorico dancers, and other musical entertainment.
5. A panel of celebrity judges will hand out a Best Tamale award at 2:30 p.m. Sunday.
