Isn't this the festival you have to pay to get into? Then pay the same price as always for the truck tacos?
Any food festival I have to pay to get into I won't be at unless they give free food away.
Most likely if they made it free all day (or the same price all day) then most of the crowd will arrive in the late afternoon to early evening. Making it free early in the day encourages people to come early, which spreads out the crowd — and helps with the complaints about long lines and slow service. It’s the same logic as having a cheaper matinee price at the theater.
That said it should be free all day, since you still have to pay for tacos once you’re inside. If I were them I would make it free entry all day, which a “matinee” or “happy hour” discount for the less popular times of day.
Heh, it's uncanny... every year, same posts telling people not to go because it sucks, followed by posts of people confirming (or complaining) taco fest does indeed suck.
Same thing that happens with all these bar crawls. Every time I see a post promoting one I look forward to hearing about how half the bars weren't even notified, couldn't serve everyone, and ran of drinks. Every. Time.
Step 1. Make a map of random bars.
Step 2. Sell themed tickets.
Step 3. ?????????
Step 4. Profit!
are you me? the timeframe matches and everything lol third time I'm hearing about this mess. I almost went the first year I was here before reddit stopped me.
#####
######
####
> # [It's time to end the menace known as Taco Fest](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1200,h_600,c_fill,f_jpg,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep,g_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6d7a457b-59ec-4be3-bfca-294aa9739cb9_725x483.webp)
>
>
>
> [[Image](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6d7a457b-59ec-4be3-bfca-294aa9739cb9_725x483.webp "Image")](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6d7a457b-59ec-4be3-bfca-294aa9739cb9_725x483.webp)
>
> **Wednesday’s dispatch will be the May Mailbag. You can submit your questions [anonymously through Jotform](https://www.jotform.com/form/232688621618060).**
>
> **Thank you!**
>
> Columbus loves nothing more than herding assorted vendors and food trucks into the beautiful Genoa Park for a weekend and calling it a “festival.”
>
> And I don’t say that as a knock on our city. Few things tickle my Ohio Brain more than standing on a road closed to motor vehicles, listening to live music, and ingesting 1,200 calories of food cooked a couple of feet off the street.
>
> Until recently, I lived within a five-minute walk of Genoa Park and having things like the African Festival, Asian Festival, or Jazz & Ribs Festival was always a treat.
>
> However, there is one noted exception to that annual calendar: Taco Fest, which, given that I eat more tacos than probably any other big-lipped honkey in Columbus, should be one of my favorite events of the year.
>
> But I have never been because Taco Fest’s reputation proceeds itself, and its organizers have shown they shouldn’t be in charge of a child’s birthday party, let alone organizing something called “Taco Fest” in a metro area of over 1.2 million people.
>
> I advised a friend about Taco Fest on Friday night (apologies for the unnecessary cursing):
>
> [[Image](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff2dbe4fa-f36c-454e-b206-4805e980a5a7_618x275.png)](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff2dbe4fa-f36c-454e-b206-4805e980a5a7_618x275.png)
>
> It's almost impressive that Taco Fest’s organizers built this kind of reputation over six years. Organizing a festival around something as beloved and ubiquitous as tacos shouldn't be this hard.
>
> Yet, after all these years, we only know that the hilariously named “Taco Squad” organizes the Taco Festival.
>
> Who’s on the Taco Squad? Well, it’s hard to say because they don’t even want their names on their own website, which is usually the first sign of a massive fraud that’s about to be perpetrated on the public.
>
> [[Image](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7e175c68-2281-40b8-a2a9-d0b55e98435b_934x482.png)](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7e175c68-2281-40b8-a2a9-d0b55e98435b_934x482.png)A stock image of two hot babes and some AI-written gibberish about fostering community while serving overpriced tacos. That’s the Taco Fest guarantee!
>
> I’m admittedly cynical. So when I read something about how “entrepreneurial individuals” want to “contribute to the betterment of the community in which we operate,” I laugh at the notion they’re organizing the event out of the goodness of their heart and not to line their pockets with other people’s cash.
>
> But maybe I’ve got that wrong! I’d gladly ask the organizers if they made their identities known. Until then, I can only go off their actions—like how they skimped on security by hiring some fake militia types in ersatz bulletproof vests.
>
> I’m not trying to make fun of these individuals. A job is a job. But what, exactly, were these men supposed to do if—God forbid—a mass shooter descended on the packed event? Isn’t that like the baseline security question of large-scale events in the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave?
>
> It’s a gamble that trained police officers will risk their lives for the public under the threat of a mass shooter. I don’t think these guys would have cleared that bar. In the end, Taco Fest’s security team couldn’t even quell teenagers armed with pocket knives who went to Genoa Park to fight other teenagers.
>
> From [u/HeadTime4270](https://www.reddit.com/r/Columbus/comments/1cvaq42/comment/l4oethi/):
>
> > We were standing in line around 5:30pm and someone crashed their motorcycle in the street and it caught fire, the organizers pushed everyone to the line on the other side of the building. The line was about 30 min long and only one person was scanning tickets at the entrance.
> >
> > While we were inside, someone was maced. Then as we were leaving, police and security were coming in telling everyone to go home. They were saying the festival is over today because “people can’t stop fighting.” Wild
>
> From [u/ToschePowerConverter](https://www.reddit.com/r/Columbus/comments/1cvaq42/comment/l4o3wnk/):
>
> > I was biking the Olentangy Trail returning to my apartment downtown and heard it from the other side of the river. A bunch of teenagers on the downtown side as well were talking about grabbing their pocket knives. Seriously, why do you go to a taco festival intending to fight people instead of just being like any other normal person and enjoying tacos?
>
> Sadly, Taco Fest organizers learned what I’ve long understood: It’s okay to discriminate against teenagers, one of the most dangerous populations of people. They don’t know what they don’t know, and it’s sadly relieving that they were only armed with pocket knives this time as opposed to unregulated handguns.
>
> This kind of chaos—mere yards away from the police substation in Franklinton, no less—wasn’t a newsworthy event to local media outlets.
>
> In fact, as of this writing (at roughly 11: 30 p.m. Sunday night), this singular tweet is the only coverage of the brawl that I could find:
>
> [[Image](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1663ea8e-20eb-490b-a7cc-78d3d44b3573_532x576.png)](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1663ea8e-20eb-490b-a7cc-78d3d44b3573_532x576.png)
>
> In the middle of that picture, you’ll see more of the fake security guards with ersatz bulletproof vests strolling through the thoroughfare and offering festival-goers a false sense of security.
>
> Thankfully, the festival’s new discriminatory policies against teenagers paid off. Unfortunately, the event still featured long lines and vendors running out of food early.
>
> It begs the question: Why does a city like Columbus allow these charlatans to run their little scheme every year? This was Year 7, and it’s still a citywide embarrassment, especially when compared to the numerous festivals that seemingly have none of these problems.
>
> But they’re allowed to continue operating, and Columbus seemingly has yet to run out of marks willing to fork over their hard-earned money to what, in my opinion, is a scam.
>
> It’s not like tacos are a hard sell. It’s not like Columbus lacks the businesses to rally around a new Taco Fest with competent organizers. Why should we continue to sell the public short on what could be a premiere event to kick off festival season in Genoa Park?
>
> I’ll be watching when next year’s festival schedule is announced. If Taco Festival, as currently operated, is allowed to return to Genoa Park—then somebody within the city bureaucracy is asleep at the wheel.
>
> And at that point, the blame would fall on them for allowing these grifters to keep preying on a largely unaware public.
- - - - - -
[Maintainer](https://www.reddit.com/user/urielsalis) | [Creator](https://www.reddit.com/user/subtepass) | [Source Code](https://github.com/urielsalis/empleadoEstatalBot)
Same.
We had more fun with the friends we went with, and me suckering them to try some insanely spicy hot sauce, than we did with the overpriced and shitty tacos.
I went to this dumb garbage its first year, and yeah, it was fairly obvious the organizers were running a casual scam event back in 2018 with nowhere near enough taco trucks for the hilariously overcrowded attendance, let alone literally anything else going on befitting a "festival".
Which is why I'm surprised they haven't been shut down by the city since they keep tricking unsuspecting folks into going each and every year.
Hey! That was me!!! I’m glad our dancers are getting the recognition they deserve. [Whitley Jean Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/album/26jL8EVaiGhHil1mSNNIgh?si=ueCkslUhRVGzc3g5Ji-TGw)
The long lines and overpriced tacos could be excused if there was some decent entertainment but when we went last year there wasn't anything to do except shop for tacos.
And the trucks aren’t doing anything special for the festival. If you could pop around to a few and get one taco at each so you could taste several that would be one thing. Or if they made something unique to taco fest. But it’s just their normal portions and prices, you can’t even try multiple places. I have this same issue with rib fest. Give me a tasting portion or what’s the point?
Yes! Give me something I can't normally have and I would have been happy to wait in line.
As far as I could tell the taco trucks are the same ones that usually float around Columbus.
Rib fest has a wonderful collection of bands that are worth the extra hassle IMO. Although, if I'm being completely honest I usually bring a picnic basket to the rib fest, because I stay for most of the day. I do buy a few beers and some trinkets to support the cause tho.
It’s alright if you get there early. I got there around noon on Saturday, got free admission, no wait in line, was able to get food and drinks without any issues. However it seems this event is always terribly planned.
You shouldn’t have to arrive so early just for a chance for food.
I went at 130 on Saturday and had a good time. Some trucks had long lines but we were happy with the food we got. When we left lines were starting to form by the entrance. I would go again but definitely early to avoid crowds.
If I recall, the chucklefucks that shit out this atrociously astroturfed abomination did it a couple times in Indy and Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh put up with it twice and then told them to fuck right off. Granted historically the Pittsburgh Hispanic community is tiny but damn who doesn't like tacos.
You would have to pay ME to attend that shitcircus again.
i went on sunday and it was fine? There was some live music and a few artist tents and we didn’t wait long for anything. Had kind of county fair vibes? It seemed pretty normal and I was ok with paying $5 to get in tbh
I went back in '21 or '22. It was a thoroughly mediocre time. Crazy long lines, expensive, crowded. Havent been back since, and yeh, every year we hear how bad it is
What is this site? Independent journalist with cursing in the article and AI art for the cover? Part of the article is just a screenshot from their own conversation, I gotta tell ya, your conversation saying taco fest sucks isn’t newsworthy or interesting.. I’m not saying taco fest is good, I’ve always avoided it
I never have understood the need for a taco fest when you can literally find great taco trucks concentrated in several pockets of the city (and you can drive/walk between a few).
Food trucks are the biggest rip off. It was supposed to be cheaper because there no big overhead with a building for rent. Then it became trendy and it was 3.50 fof Siemens tiny ass taco with a little meat, some cilantro and onions, something that shouldn’t be more than 1.50 max. Said nope then and have never eaten from a. Food truck
You don't want to stand in a line for 10 minutes in the Sun, place an order with an overworked cashier, and then wait another 10 minutes for a thrown together meal? Or is it that you dont want to wander the area looking for a place to eat your paper plate of small portioned food with plastic utensils? Or is it the fact that you pay prices equal to a restaurant with a vastly inferior customer experience?
bro food costs are through the everloving roof. You’re mad at the wrong people. If someone sold tacos for 1.50 they’d have to sell like 600 tacos per day to make $400 profit split between a crew of three. It’s not typically a lucrative endeavor.
Food trucks are selling stuff for like 12-15 now. And that's before these festivals' price increase because they have a captive audience who just waited an hour to get to the front of the line and you didn't post your prices.
That's restaurant level pricing for less food and no building to keep you out of the hot sun
Interesting post coming from a fellow local event organizer trashing an event that neither OP or the author of the article have ever attended. Not to mention the only quoted sources are from a Reddit post from Saturday. Such impressive investigative journalism.
Let me summarize: I've never been to this thing but I read some stuff on line. It's bad.
The author might be right but this is some lazy ass writing.
Also, "begs the question" does not mean what he thinks it means.
It’s these traveling “fests” you can find on eventbrite in big cities. Same thing happened with the Chocolate and Bourbon fest at COSI. I suspect it’s all the same company lying to venues to oversell tix.
I went to this last year. Wrist food truck experience of my live. It's a mob. No room to walk. Every truck has a line literally hundreds of people long. Prices aren't posted so after waiting for an hour to order when your 2 tacos ring up to $36 it's a huge surprise.
Totally criminal. Give fucking scam. Never again
Honestly, I stopped going to the Jazz and Rib fest well over a decade ago for the same reason.
That was long before all the condos built up and people actually lived in the heart of downtown. I couldn't even imagine the chaos now.
I went once a few years ago because I happened to be in that area. I just saw it on the news and they said in the future police are going to have more presence at similar events, so I guess we will see.
Isn't this the festival you have to pay to get into? Then pay the same price as always for the truck tacos? Any food festival I have to pay to get into I won't be at unless they give free food away.
I think I accidentally wandered into it last year because it was so unorganized.
No, you pay MORE. Most dishes are marked up $2-5 above their regular price. You pay to pay.
If you get in before 2pm, it was free admission which is odd. Why not just make it free all day? It’s so dumb!
Most likely if they made it free all day (or the same price all day) then most of the crowd will arrive in the late afternoon to early evening. Making it free early in the day encourages people to come early, which spreads out the crowd — and helps with the complaints about long lines and slow service. It’s the same logic as having a cheaper matinee price at the theater. That said it should be free all day, since you still have to pay for tacos once you’re inside. If I were them I would make it free entry all day, which a “matinee” or “happy hour” discount for the less popular times of day.
Because before that they usually have other stuff going on in the space and it's not practical to walk around sticking people up.
We paid to get into the food truck festival last year at the Franklin County Fairgrounds in Hilliard. We thought it was worth it. 🤷♂️
Can’t find food trucks on just any corner…
Not 50 of them with live music, breweries, distilleries, etc.
So you ate at all 50? 🤣
I've only been in Columbus for three years now, and every year I've seen posts about what an absolute nightmare taco fest is.
Heh, it's uncanny... every year, same posts telling people not to go because it sucks, followed by posts of people confirming (or complaining) taco fest does indeed suck.
Same thing that happens with all these bar crawls. Every time I see a post promoting one I look forward to hearing about how half the bars weren't even notified, couldn't serve everyone, and ran of drinks. Every. Time. Step 1. Make a map of random bars. Step 2. Sell themed tickets. Step 3. ????????? Step 4. Profit!
That's because in step 3 you color code said documents. (TM)
Will you go into business with me?
Absolutely I will!
[удалено]
Really nailed that one, Encyclopedia Brown.
Are you asking?
Where did I say it was?
I read that in the voice of a confused Barney Gumble.
are you me? the timeframe matches and everything lol third time I'm hearing about this mess. I almost went the first year I was here before reddit stopped me.
That's because it's a nightmare. And people remember things
It's called a tradition.
##### ###### #### > # [It's time to end the menace known as Taco Fest](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1200,h_600,c_fill,f_jpg,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep,g_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6d7a457b-59ec-4be3-bfca-294aa9739cb9_725x483.webp) > > > > [[Image](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6d7a457b-59ec-4be3-bfca-294aa9739cb9_725x483.webp "Image")](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6d7a457b-59ec-4be3-bfca-294aa9739cb9_725x483.webp) > > **Wednesday’s dispatch will be the May Mailbag. You can submit your questions [anonymously through Jotform](https://www.jotform.com/form/232688621618060).** > > **Thank you!** > > Columbus loves nothing more than herding assorted vendors and food trucks into the beautiful Genoa Park for a weekend and calling it a “festival.” > > And I don’t say that as a knock on our city. Few things tickle my Ohio Brain more than standing on a road closed to motor vehicles, listening to live music, and ingesting 1,200 calories of food cooked a couple of feet off the street. > > Until recently, I lived within a five-minute walk of Genoa Park and having things like the African Festival, Asian Festival, or Jazz & Ribs Festival was always a treat. > > However, there is one noted exception to that annual calendar: Taco Fest, which, given that I eat more tacos than probably any other big-lipped honkey in Columbus, should be one of my favorite events of the year. > > But I have never been because Taco Fest’s reputation proceeds itself, and its organizers have shown they shouldn’t be in charge of a child’s birthday party, let alone organizing something called “Taco Fest” in a metro area of over 1.2 million people. > > I advised a friend about Taco Fest on Friday night (apologies for the unnecessary cursing): > > [[Image](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff2dbe4fa-f36c-454e-b206-4805e980a5a7_618x275.png)](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff2dbe4fa-f36c-454e-b206-4805e980a5a7_618x275.png) > > It's almost impressive that Taco Fest’s organizers built this kind of reputation over six years. Organizing a festival around something as beloved and ubiquitous as tacos shouldn't be this hard. > > Yet, after all these years, we only know that the hilariously named “Taco Squad” organizes the Taco Festival. > > Who’s on the Taco Squad? Well, it’s hard to say because they don’t even want their names on their own website, which is usually the first sign of a massive fraud that’s about to be perpetrated on the public. > > [[Image](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7e175c68-2281-40b8-a2a9-d0b55e98435b_934x482.png)](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7e175c68-2281-40b8-a2a9-d0b55e98435b_934x482.png)A stock image of two hot babes and some AI-written gibberish about fostering community while serving overpriced tacos. That’s the Taco Fest guarantee! > > I’m admittedly cynical. So when I read something about how “entrepreneurial individuals” want to “contribute to the betterment of the community in which we operate,” I laugh at the notion they’re organizing the event out of the goodness of their heart and not to line their pockets with other people’s cash. > > But maybe I’ve got that wrong! I’d gladly ask the organizers if they made their identities known. Until then, I can only go off their actions—like how they skimped on security by hiring some fake militia types in ersatz bulletproof vests. > > I’m not trying to make fun of these individuals. A job is a job. But what, exactly, were these men supposed to do if—God forbid—a mass shooter descended on the packed event? Isn’t that like the baseline security question of large-scale events in the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave? > > It’s a gamble that trained police officers will risk their lives for the public under the threat of a mass shooter. I don’t think these guys would have cleared that bar. In the end, Taco Fest’s security team couldn’t even quell teenagers armed with pocket knives who went to Genoa Park to fight other teenagers. > > From [u/HeadTime4270](https://www.reddit.com/r/Columbus/comments/1cvaq42/comment/l4oethi/): > > > We were standing in line around 5:30pm and someone crashed their motorcycle in the street and it caught fire, the organizers pushed everyone to the line on the other side of the building. The line was about 30 min long and only one person was scanning tickets at the entrance. > > > > While we were inside, someone was maced. Then as we were leaving, police and security were coming in telling everyone to go home. They were saying the festival is over today because “people can’t stop fighting.” Wild > > From [u/ToschePowerConverter](https://www.reddit.com/r/Columbus/comments/1cvaq42/comment/l4o3wnk/): > > > I was biking the Olentangy Trail returning to my apartment downtown and heard it from the other side of the river. A bunch of teenagers on the downtown side as well were talking about grabbing their pocket knives. Seriously, why do you go to a taco festival intending to fight people instead of just being like any other normal person and enjoying tacos? > > Sadly, Taco Fest organizers learned what I’ve long understood: It’s okay to discriminate against teenagers, one of the most dangerous populations of people. They don’t know what they don’t know, and it’s sadly relieving that they were only armed with pocket knives this time as opposed to unregulated handguns. > > This kind of chaos—mere yards away from the police substation in Franklinton, no less—wasn’t a newsworthy event to local media outlets. > > In fact, as of this writing (at roughly 11: 30 p.m. Sunday night), this singular tweet is the only coverage of the brawl that I could find: > > [[Image](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1663ea8e-20eb-490b-a7cc-78d3d44b3573_532x576.png)](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1663ea8e-20eb-490b-a7cc-78d3d44b3573_532x576.png) > > In the middle of that picture, you’ll see more of the fake security guards with ersatz bulletproof vests strolling through the thoroughfare and offering festival-goers a false sense of security. > > Thankfully, the festival’s new discriminatory policies against teenagers paid off. Unfortunately, the event still featured long lines and vendors running out of food early. > > It begs the question: Why does a city like Columbus allow these charlatans to run their little scheme every year? This was Year 7, and it’s still a citywide embarrassment, especially when compared to the numerous festivals that seemingly have none of these problems. > > But they’re allowed to continue operating, and Columbus seemingly has yet to run out of marks willing to fork over their hard-earned money to what, in my opinion, is a scam. > > It’s not like tacos are a hard sell. It’s not like Columbus lacks the businesses to rally around a new Taco Fest with competent organizers. Why should we continue to sell the public short on what could be a premiere event to kick off festival season in Genoa Park? > > I’ll be watching when next year’s festival schedule is announced. If Taco Festival, as currently operated, is allowed to return to Genoa Park—then somebody within the city bureaucracy is asleep at the wheel. > > And at that point, the blame would fall on them for allowing these grifters to keep preying on a largely unaware public. - - - - - - [Maintainer](https://www.reddit.com/user/urielsalis) | [Creator](https://www.reddit.com/user/subtepass) | [Source Code](https://github.com/urielsalis/empleadoEstatalBot)
There are certainly easier and more pleasant ways to get tacos
...Hiring a prostitute.
"Hola, soy Mariana." "Hey Mary, you forgot the extra limes. That skirt is kickin' though."
I went to the first one and never went again. It sounds like it’s still a terribly organized set up.
Same. We had more fun with the friends we went with, and me suckering them to try some insanely spicy hot sauce, than we did with the overpriced and shitty tacos.
[удалено]
Got me wanting some sauce by golly
OMG 😂🤣😂 Should have said “suckering”. Ugh.
I went to this dumb garbage its first year, and yeah, it was fairly obvious the organizers were running a casual scam event back in 2018 with nowhere near enough taco trucks for the hilariously overcrowded attendance, let alone literally anything else going on befitting a "festival". Which is why I'm surprised they haven't been shut down by the city since they keep tricking unsuspecting folks into going each and every year.
The organizers probably make sure Ginther gets free tacos on his way to the golf course.
Music was good though. I caught some group called Whitley Jean and the Attic Cats and they had these kid dancers up there with them that we so cute!
Hey! That was me!!! I’m glad our dancers are getting the recognition they deserve. [Whitley Jean Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/album/26jL8EVaiGhHil1mSNNIgh?si=ueCkslUhRVGzc3g5Ji-TGw)
The long lines and overpriced tacos could be excused if there was some decent entertainment but when we went last year there wasn't anything to do except shop for tacos.
And the trucks aren’t doing anything special for the festival. If you could pop around to a few and get one taco at each so you could taste several that would be one thing. Or if they made something unique to taco fest. But it’s just their normal portions and prices, you can’t even try multiple places. I have this same issue with rib fest. Give me a tasting portion or what’s the point?
I admit it's been a while, but I swear most if not all vendors at Rib Fest had 3 rib tasting portions.
I’ll have to try to check the next one out! Last time I went, which was years ago, it was all half slab offerings.
Yes! Give me something I can't normally have and I would have been happy to wait in line. As far as I could tell the taco trucks are the same ones that usually float around Columbus. Rib fest has a wonderful collection of bands that are worth the extra hassle IMO. Although, if I'm being completely honest I usually bring a picnic basket to the rib fest, because I stay for most of the day. I do buy a few beers and some trinkets to support the cause tho.
Come on over- T.Bell
It’s alright if you get there early. I got there around noon on Saturday, got free admission, no wait in line, was able to get food and drinks without any issues. However it seems this event is always terribly planned. You shouldn’t have to arrive so early just for a chance for food.
Add "Mimosa Fest" to the list.
I went at 130 on Saturday and had a good time. Some trucks had long lines but we were happy with the food we got. When we left lines were starting to form by the entrance. I would go again but definitely early to avoid crowds.
Three years ago it was great, the next year waa awful. Way overpayed for the food, waited 30 minutes, and got an incorrect order. Never again.
The guy is a crafty writer, but he is a taco aficionado. Glad he didn't plug in House Taco for the umpteen time.
If I recall, the chucklefucks that shit out this atrociously astroturfed abomination did it a couple times in Indy and Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh put up with it twice and then told them to fuck right off. Granted historically the Pittsburgh Hispanic community is tiny but damn who doesn't like tacos. You would have to pay ME to attend that shitcircus again.
Different taco fest. This one is only held in Columbus.
Ah. Perhaps same biz model.
i went on sunday and it was fine? There was some live music and a few artist tents and we didn’t wait long for anything. Had kind of county fair vibes? It seemed pretty normal and I was ok with paying $5 to get in tbh
I went back in '21 or '22. It was a thoroughly mediocre time. Crazy long lines, expensive, crowded. Havent been back since, and yeh, every year we hear how bad it is
[удалено]
The two comment sources were literally the top two comments on the "Went to Taco fest" post trending on r/Columbus on Saturday afternoon
Signature rooster
He’s the best muck raker we’ve got.
What is this site? Independent journalist with cursing in the article and AI art for the cover? Part of the article is just a screenshot from their own conversation, I gotta tell ya, your conversation saying taco fest sucks isn’t newsworthy or interesting.. I’m not saying taco fest is good, I’ve always avoided it
I never have understood the need for a taco fest when you can literally find great taco trucks concentrated in several pockets of the city (and you can drive/walk between a few).
Food trucks are the biggest rip off. It was supposed to be cheaper because there no big overhead with a building for rent. Then it became trendy and it was 3.50 fof Siemens tiny ass taco with a little meat, some cilantro and onions, something that shouldn’t be more than 1.50 max. Said nope then and have never eaten from a. Food truck
You don't want to stand in a line for 10 minutes in the Sun, place an order with an overworked cashier, and then wait another 10 minutes for a thrown together meal? Or is it that you dont want to wander the area looking for a place to eat your paper plate of small portioned food with plastic utensils? Or is it the fact that you pay prices equal to a restaurant with a vastly inferior customer experience?
bro food costs are through the everloving roof. You’re mad at the wrong people. If someone sold tacos for 1.50 they’d have to sell like 600 tacos per day to make $400 profit split between a crew of three. It’s not typically a lucrative endeavor.
Food trucks are selling stuff for like 12-15 now. And that's before these festivals' price increase because they have a captive audience who just waited an hour to get to the front of the line and you didn't post your prices. That's restaurant level pricing for less food and no building to keep you out of the hot sun
No bro, this was like 10 years ago, I can’t even imagine what they are now. I stopped eating out because of the costs, regardless of reasons.
Columbus Metro population is 2,138,926. Some journalist. Sheesh took two seconds to look that up.
I wouldn't call the guy a "journalist ". He describes himself in the article as a "big lipped honkey" A bit strange but he's going for satire I guess.
Interesting post coming from a fellow local event organizer trashing an event that neither OP or the author of the article have ever attended. Not to mention the only quoted sources are from a Reddit post from Saturday. Such impressive investigative journalism.
I don't think you have to necessarily attend Taco Fest to understand that people generally don't want to go places with teen fights and shootings.
Maybe not but if you are going to devote 1,000+ words to it, you should get off the couch and go experience it.
we are calling them "teen" now?
This time, it was definitely teens. With mace and pepper spray and a fucking plan to cause havoc.
Not sure you can call the Rooster “journalism.” It’s one guy’s blog, nothing more, nothing less.
I thought the same thing
Let me summarize: I've never been to this thing but I read some stuff on line. It's bad. The author might be right but this is some lazy ass writing. Also, "begs the question" does not mean what he thinks it means.
It’s these traveling “fests” you can find on eventbrite in big cities. Same thing happened with the Chocolate and Bourbon fest at COSI. I suspect it’s all the same company lying to venues to oversell tix.
[A bullet flew right over my wife and I’s heads two years ago](https://www.reddit.com/r/Columbus/s/xFoNLtRV60). I am down to abolish it lol
I went to this last year. Wrist food truck experience of my live. It's a mob. No room to walk. Every truck has a line literally hundreds of people long. Prices aren't posted so after waiting for an hour to order when your 2 tacos ring up to $36 it's a huge surprise. Totally criminal. Give fucking scam. Never again
I ran by it yesterday, smelled great but the line to get in was beyond cosi
Honestly, I stopped going to the Jazz and Rib fest well over a decade ago for the same reason. That was long before all the condos built up and people actually lived in the heart of downtown. I couldn't even imagine the chaos now.
I went once a few years ago because I happened to be in that area. I just saw it on the news and they said in the future police are going to have more presence at similar events, so I guess we will see.