Atascadero's Sunken Gardens was filled with music, contests, and thousands of tamales on Saturday as the city hosted its 9th annual Atascadero Tamale Festival.
Over 100 vendors were on display, offering crowds a variety of gourmet, traditional, and sweet tamales.
While they snacked, visitors enjoyed live entertainment including music from local artists, performances by several ballet folklórico dance groups, a tamale-eating contest, a chihuahua and pet costume competition, and a show by the famous dancing horses.
Vendors also competed in a Best Tamale Contest featuring KSBY's very own Richard Gearhart as a celebrity judge.
Tarrie Banish, the director of community services and promotions for the City of Atascadero, told KSBY that the annual festival is a one-of-a-kind attraction.
"This is definitely the festival to come to. You can't get all of the variety of tamales anywhere except here today," Banish said. "From banana leaf-wrapped tamales, to strawberry tamales, to pork and chicken and your regular traditional tamales, it's absolutely amazing."
Organizers say a portion of the proceeds from this year's Atascadero Tamale Festival will benefit The Friends of the Charles Paddock Zoo.
