More than 30 food trucks, lucha libre wrestling and ballet folklórico dancers will fill the parking lots at Twelve Mile Crossing at Fountain Walk on Friday through Sunday as the Novi Taco Fest returns for its fifth year.
The festival runs Friday, Aug. 28, through Sunday, Aug. 30, at 44275 W. Twelve Mile Road, in the lots near Chuck E. Cheese. What started as a food-themed art fair has grown into one of Novi's signature summer events, drawing thousands to celebrate Mexican American cuisine and culture.
"The whole event is a celebration, in and of itself, of just basically Mexican American food and culture," organizer and founder Karyn Stetz told C & G Newspapers.
Stetz said she plans to acknowledge the five-year milestone from the festival's two stages, though no special commemorative events are planned. She said the anniversary caught her off guard.
What to expect
Trucks will serve authentic Mexican food, Tex-Mex and other taco variations alongside American fare. Two stages will feature live Latin music, Ballet Folklórico de Detroit, mariachi performers and Latin-rock bands including Expedition and Mondo Kane, according to novitacofest.com. Local musician Mark Reitenga & Friends will perform across all three days on the Contest Stage.
Lucha libre wrestling returns as a crowd favorite, and daily contests include taco-eating, hot pepper-eating and a cutest dog competition. A kids zone with a magic show, yard games, a vendor market and margaritas round out the offerings.
Vendors back since year one
Osvaldo Lopez of Detroit has brought his Pablo's Tacos truck every year since the festival's start, serving authentic chargrilled Mexican cuisine. He told C & G Newspapers the Fountain Walk location keeps him coming back.
Raquel Esparza of Westland, who owns Belle Mexican Imports, has also been a fixture since the first year. She specializes in hand-painted terra-cotta tiles featuring Mexican American imagery and uses the festival to share her heritage with visitors, fielding questions about traditions like the Day of the Dead.
"If you go to Mexico, you won't find burritos … You don't see nachos in Mexico. That's not part of the food that we eat in Mexico," Esparza told C & G Newspapers, explaining how Tex-Mex dishes reflect the blending of two cultures. "A lot of the stuff that you see at Mexican restaurants around here, that's the influence (of American culture)."
The festival drew more than 15,000 visitors during its second year in 2023, according to the City of Novi.
Tickets and hours
- Friday, Aug. 28: 5–10 p.m.
- Saturday, Aug. 29: 11 a.m.–10 p.m.
- Sunday, Aug. 30: noon–7 p.m.
Tickets are $8 online at novitacofest.com or $10 at the gate. Three-day passes cost $24 online, and a family four-pack (single day) is $30. Groups of eight or more save 35% at checkout. Veterans and active-duty military with valid ID get in free all weekend, as do children under 3.
