Check out the Jam-Packed Entertainment for Taco Fest 2024
Roll up, roll up! Taco Fest is almost here and do we have one fun-filled fiesta for you! Aside from being packed with tacos – of which there will be 70+ varieties – we’ve also got a weekend jam-packed with entertainment. From interactive games to live music, cool DJ beats, dancing, vendor beer challenges and an entire Fun Zone there is no shortage of activities to make this one weekend you don’t want to miss!
Stage Games
As always, we've got some super fun interactive games to take part in with plenty of great prizes up for grabs! So let's take a look at just what we have in store...
Sombrero Ring Toss
Teams of two will come to the stage, one member will wear a sombrero and try to catch rings on it thrown by the other player. Teams will be eliminated until only one ultimate ring catching team remains to claim the crown. There will be an array of prizes for the winning team as well as for runners up and participants. The Sombrero Ring Toss will take place at 3pm on Saturday and Sunday, plus a bonus kids competition at 2pm on Sunday.
Ping Pong Butt Battle
This game involves competitors being fitted with a box on the back of their waist containing ten ping pong balls. Once the competition starts players will have to shake their booty as hard as they can to get all the ping pong balls out of the box. The first competitor to shake out all the balls wins! The Ping Pong Butt Battle will take place at 5pm on both Saturday and Sunday.
Live Music
EASY STREET
Easy Street is Beijing’s hottest pop-rock band that specializes in a fun, laid-back style, performing fan-favorite songs you’ll be sure to sing along and dance to! The band is comprised of well-known musicians from the Beijing music scene, including vocalist Steven McKinney (Stevie Mac), keyboardist and vocalist Taylor Hartwell, drummer and vocalist Taylor Kelly, bass guitarist Timothy Chen, and lead guitarist Barry Allen. Together, they create a truly dynamic sound featuring unique four-part vocal harmonies. Easy Street has everything you want in an easy-listening party band - giving a one-of-a-kind performance you won’t want to miss!
Mojito
Mojito is a band that's been shaking up the music scene as a well-established Latin band in China and abroad. The musicians forming the group are known for delivering a wide array of music styles, spanning from Latin Jazz and fusion to the infectious beats of the Caribbean like reggaeton, kizomba to the well known Latino American favorites like bachata, salsa, merengue, cha cha cha, among others. With great energy and amazing vibes they will bring the most authentic Latin and Caribbean flavor to the fest.
Quebra Cavaco
Quebra Cavaco brings the charm and relaxed atmosphere of a traditional samba group from the shores of Brazil to Beijing. The band, born within Beijing's nightlife, originally started from pandeiro player Joao Souza advocating the idea of forming a samba group to bring authentic Brazilian music to Beijing. Inspired by Souza's vision, Matheus Santi joined the band. A few changes here and there, then Diego Ramos (singer and guitarist) returns to the city, bringing that much needed final Brazilian sauce to it. At last, Jonas dos Santos (cavaco player) took over the cavaco, solidifying the band's current formation.
TroVanda
TroVanda is an authentic mixture of Caribbean and Latin American styles of music. The ensemble combines traditional and modern sounds, the beauty of Spanish lyrics, and enchanting rhythms that will transport you to La Habana. TroVanda was created in Beijing in 2019 with musicians from Cuba, Chile, and Venezuela. Their repertoire includes a variety of genres: Boleros, Cancion, Salsa Guaracha, Changui, Bachata, and Cumbia to name a few. The band is made up of Baltazar“Fido”on Bass, Eduardo Barroetabeña on Percussion and Redis Hinojosa on Keys.
DJ Arquitect
Seeing Taco Fest out with a bang on both days is one of our all time favorite DJs: Cuban DJ and Music Producer Dairon Cardona, AKA DJ Arquitect. One of Beijing’s most popular Latin Music DJs, he plays a mix of Latin, Afro, Caribbean and house music to create great energy on the dance floor.
DJ Erick
DJ Erick has had a love music since he was at school, and after seeing a DJ video in 2008, decided that he wanted to become a DJ. He’s been DJing ever since and plays a range of music including hip-hop, house, Latin, afrobeats, trap, drill, EDM and more.
DMC RK
DMC RK began learning the erhu when he was aged five, which has brought a special quality and style to his music. While he was studying in the US he regularly did DJ sets at parties and then following his return to China began performing as DMC RK in various places around Beijing. His music style is tropical house, hip-hop and funky soul and he loves to build up emotion in his sets to get the audience pumping.
Dance
SAZON
Bringing an interactive set to the stage is SAZON Cuban Dance School, who have been delivering the most up-to-beat Cuban dance culture and trends to China since 2016. Sazon consists of professional Cuban dancers whose expertise is not only limited to Cuban dance but popular dance from around the world. When they perform there’s sure to be plenty of laughs and fun.
You can check out the full stage schedule below:
Fun Zone
In collaboration with Guanto Family Sports Center, which operates a huge playground in Shunyi, we've got a big Fun Zone set up that’s perfect to keep kids occupied or a great opportunity for you to embrace your inner child! The setup here is like a mini carnival with things like ring toss games, building blocks, mini trampolines, table top games, whack-a-mole, arcade basketball and more!
For those with kids, don’t forget that kids under 1.4 meters get in for FREE before 2pm on both days.
Vendor Interactions
Taco Passport
We will be bringing our Taco Passports back again for Taco Fest, encouraging you to try as many tacos as you can! The first 100 people to collect ten stamps from vendors will win a special Rong Momo fridge magnet (RMB 30 value, pictured below).
Circle Urban
Circle Urban are planning on putting on a cornhole competition and the grand prize will be a whole bottle of tequila!
TSINGTAO1903 Taproom
TSINGTAO1903 Taproom will have a bottoms up challenge! Finish a 500ml cup of beer in eight seconds and win one cup of beer, finish with six seconds and win two cups of beer.
esse coffee X unicorn shark
esse coffee X unicorn shark will have a selfie competition. The rules are simple, send a picture of yourself with a bottle of any unicorn shark beer to an allocated member of staff on-site and you’ll receive a designer coaster. That’s not all though, following the Taco Fest people will vote for their favorite selfie for three categories:
- The Ceiling Award: one winner, prize is an RMB 1,000 JD card and RMB 1,000 unicorn shark voucher.
- Drop-dead Gorgeous Award: three winners, prizes are an RMB 500 JD card and RMB 200 unicorn shark voucher.
- Human Orchid Award: ten winners, prizes are RMB 100 unicorn shark voucher.
The results of the selfie competition will be announced on Apr 30.
The Local
The Local will have a special 360 photo booth available for customers to use after they get drinks or tacos from them.
Wawabeer Taproom
Another vendor with a beer challenge, Wawabeer Taproom challenge you to drink a 500ml German Wheat beer in ten seconds or less, or 15 sends or less for ladies. If you finish the beer successfully then not only will that beer be free of charge but you’ll also get a second free beer and an RMB 50 voucher to use in store.
DELI NYC
DELI NYC will have a lucky draw at their booth with prizes including drinks, snacks, tacos and vouchers!
A number of other vendors will also be offering free goodies, vouchers and more if you follow them on WeChat or RED etc. so keep an eye out for those!
Taco Fest 2024 will be taking place Apr 20-21 from 11am until 9pm at Tiantongyuan Culture and Arts Center. Tickets can be purchased by scanning the QR code in the poster above.
Tiantongyuan Culture and Arts Center (天通苑文化艺术中心)
Area G, Tiantong Zhongyuan Peitao Gongjian, Taipingzhuang Zhongyi Jie, Changping District
昌平区太平庄中一街天通中苑配套公建G区G-la号
If you'd like to stay up to date with everything taco-related in the capital, join our dedicated Beijing Taco Fans group chat! Simply add TBJHelper on WeChat by scanning the QR code below and request to become a member.
READ: Tantalize Your Taste Buds With Our Taco Fest 2024 Vendors
Images: the Beijingers, courtesy of the entertainers
