Atascadero Tamale Festival draws thousands 

–Despite chilly temperatures, about five thousand people attended the opening of the Fifth Annual Atascadero Tamale Festival Friday night. Twenty tamale vendors sold everything from classic chicken and pork tamales to more exotic tamales with Gouda cheese, artichoke hearts or barbecued chicken. Most sold for $4 each, hot or frozen to take home.

Several bands performed and at 7:35, the city set off fireworks behind the Rotunda which were visible from the Sunken Gardens. The Tamale Festival continues from 11-5 Saturday with more than twenty thousand tamales for sale by vendors from Riverside, Huntington Beach, the central valley and Atascadero. In previous years, the vendors sold out their tamales early Saturday afternoon. There will also be mariachis, dancing horses, and other musical entertainment. The Tamale Festival is free to attend.

About the author: News Staff

News staff of the A-Town Daily News wrote and edited this article from local contributors and press releases. Scott Brennan is the publisher of this newspaper and founder of Access Publishing. Connect with him on Google+, Twitter, LinkedIn, or follow his blog. He can be reached at [email protected].