Vendors Continue to Share Their Offerings Throughout Summer
Story and Photos By Emily Moyer
Clouds loomed overhead, but that didn’t keep vendors from bringing the heat to hungry foodies at the Boulder Taco Fest.
Showcasing some of the town’s best street tacos, folks lined up around the block on Saturday for the annual fest. The event was a great way to sample some of Boulder’s favorite taco restaurants and trucks that you’ve been dying to try. Most of the tacos can be found throughout the summer in Boulder. Saturday’s fun also included lawn games for all ages, Lucha Libre-style wrestling and live music.
McDevitt Taco Supply served up two takes on the traditional pulled-pork street tacos. The original, juicy, pulled-pork belly and onion tacos were served on fresh, ground-corn tortillas and doused with a perfectly mild green chili sauce and sweet chunks of pineapple. They were served with a chili and lime mayonnaise for the perfect amount of spicy and sweet. This classic is served year-round at their restaurant, located off Baseline Road and Foothills Parkway.
McDevitt also offered a bold vegetarian take on this classic, served only in the summertime. The summer squash taco with tomato and onion, was served with the house-made spicy avocado salsa and topped with crispy tortilla strips. Just the right amount of seasoning makes this new dish taste up to par with the classic pulled-pork taco.
In between taco stations, some festival attendees had fun playing corn hole and whacking pinatas. A competitive obstacle course was set up for kids and adults. Some people just kicked back on inflatable couches, sipping margaritas and beers from five breweries. Tequila vendors also offered samples to go with the tacos.
The wrestling event was hosted by Lucha Libres and Laughs, a comedic show that is held regularly in Denver. It features men wrestling in spandex and hysterical commentary. Lucha Libres and Laughs was awarded Best Comedy Show by Westword three years running, and if you missed it at the Boulder Taco Fest, you can catch their regular shows at the Oriental Theater in the Denver Highlands.
Centro Mexican Kitchen, located at the end of Pearl Street in Boulder, also had two very different takes on the classic pork carnitas taco, but with a different twist. Centro served up a classic slow-braised and seasoned, pulled-pork shoulder taco on a fluffy, warm, corn tortilla, topped with a cool, escabeche of pickled carrots, onions and sliced jicama. Centro offered a vegan take on this classic taco as well, using jackfruit as their pulled “pork” carnita base and topping it with smooth avocado slices and flavorful pickled red onions.
For a little extra spice, Verde Boulder served traditional grilled chicken tacos with freshly chopped, juicy pico de gallo, and sour cream for those who enjoy a simple classic. Their mushroom and corn taco is a vegetarian take on a Mexican classic, with mixed mushrooms, spicy green chilis, cilantro creamed corn, and topped with cotija spicy creama that is sure to give you a little kick in the mouth.
Verde Boulder was also serving a spicy smoked pork taco, spicy enough to challenge even the most tolerant of heat seekers. This pulled pork taco came with delicious pickled onions and freshly chopped jalapeño peppers, and it was smothered in a spicy, chipotle crema sauce that will put a few beads of sweat on your brow.
Throughout the day, live music filled Foothills Park with funky tunes that kept the party going for the roughly 2,500 attendees. As the sun set on the fest, many guests hanging out on the grass jumped up to dance and say goodbye to the Boulder Taco Fest until 2020.