Taco Madness 2014 ~ April 5th at Grand Park

L.A. TACO + GRAND PARK INVITE YOU TO ATTEND TACO MADNESS 2014, a free Event in Downtown Los Angeles on April 5th, From 12pm to 7pm celebrating Tacos, Art, and Music!

L.A. Taco and Grand Park had so much fun last year celebrating everything that’s great about Los Angeles, we’ve decided to do it again at beautiful Grand Park in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles. Keep Reading for full participant list + more info...

This year’s event again focuses on Tacos, Art, and Music and will include many of Los Angeles’ finest taco trucks, restaurants, and stands including past winners of Taco Madness like Mexicali Taco & Co. and Mariscos Jalisco. Newcomers this year include the intriguing Tacos Arabes de Puebla from Boyle Heights, and the small, family-run operation called Carnitas El Momo that Los Angeles Magazine calls “the best carnitas in Los Angeles”. Returning from last year’s event will be Wes Avila’s Guerrilla Tacos, recently lauded by Jonathan Gold of the Los Angeles Times as “singular... delicious…Where else but L.A.?” along with the award-winning fish taco specialists Tacos Punta Cabras of Santa Monica. Vegans, far not-- Plant Food For People will supply 100% vegan tacos! At the event’s climax, an award and cash prize for the “Best in Show” taco will given by premier sponsor Groupon.  The world’s first automatic tortilla making machine,  Flatev, created by a Swiss-Mexican team, will make its Los Angeles debut at the event, and they will also sponsor an award for the day’s best tortilla.

Attendees at Taco Madness will have the opportunity to savor the city’s best tacos as they stroll through the park and view the creation of live artwork from of 20 of LA’s most interesting and prolific artists, including East Los Angeles’ Germs, whose art KCET described as “infectious ephemera”; one of LA’s most important and prolific muralists, MEAR ONE; Japanese-American DEFER of Boyle Heights, whose lettering work has graced gallery walls worldwide; and Sand One, daughter of a taquera, and an inspiration to girls worldwide. The artists will use Blick Art materials, and are curated by the DoArt Foundation. Each artist is paired with a non-profit that will receive the artwork created at the event, or the money generated from its sale.  Additionally, Red Bull Latagraphica will have surprise art installations and awards for artists happening all day long including the unveiling of a unique mural.

Presiding over it all will be our wonderful host, Azul 213*, who will welcome everyone, from every corner of the city, to come downtown to get down with the best vibes around. The whole day will be bathed in the sonic soundscapes curated by Azul 213* with of some of our city’s best and most exciting DJs, including B+ (Mochilla), Canyon Cody (Subsuelo), Cee Brown (Delicious Vinyl, Bodega)  Haycock (The Do Over), Mario Cotto (KCRW), Panamami (KPFK, Bodega)  and Travis Holcombe (KCRW).

The beer garden and bar will be run by the amazing brother-sister team of Bricia and Fernando Lopez of landmark Oaxacan restaurant La Guelaguetza in Koreatown. The bar area will feature speciality tequila drinks from Suerte Tequila, the ultimate michelada station, and beer specials from local brewery Venice Duck Brewery.

Live screen printing will be available from LA’s one and only Hit + Run Crew, who will be printing unique, one-of-a-kind artistic designs on demand all day long.  Special items from LATACO.COM including ‘zines, stickers, jewelry, and prints will also be available.

The event is made possible by premier sponsor Groupon, along with: Red Bull Latagraphica, Suerte Tequila, Blick Art Supplies, FlatEV, Venice Duck Brewery, the DoArt Foundation, Cashmere Agency, and La Guelaguetza.

Early arrival is recommended as Grand Park’s performance lawn may reach capacity. For live updates, follow Grand Park on twitter @grandpark_la.   The official hashtag for TACO MADNESS 2014  at Grand Park LA  is #tacomadness.

Facebook Event Information: https://www.facebook.com/events/276650285827402/

Full List of Participants

TACOS + FOOD
Mexicali Taco & Co., El Corolenese, Tacos Punta Cabras, Frida's Tacos, Carnitas El Momo, Plant Food For People, Guelaguetza, Leo's Taco Truck, Mariscos Jalisco, Guerrilla Tacos, Tacos Arabes de Puebla.

LIVE ARTISTS
Sand One, Germs, Big Sleeps, Defer, Steve Martinez, Cristina Angelina, Restitution Press, Van Saro,  Codak,  Max Nuetra,  Vyal,  Calder, Evan Mendel,  Mear One, Galo "Make One" Canote, Alexander DCD, Bumblebee, Rajiv Jain, Jim Mahfood.

DJs
Azul213*, Mario Cotto (KCRW), Travis Holcombe (KCRW), B+ (Mochilla), Canyon Cody (SubSuelo), Haycock (The Do Over), Panamami (KPFK / Bodega), Cee Brown (Bodega  / Delicious Vinyl).

About Grand Park

A vibrant outdoor gathering place, Grand Park is a beautiful public park for the entire community in Los Angeles County. With expansive green space for gatherings large and small, Grand Park celebrates the county’s cultural vitality and is host to community events, cultural experiences, holiday celebrations, and many other activities that engage and attract visitors from all communities.  The 12-acre Grand Park stretches from The Music Center on the west to City Hall on the east, and is easily accessible by Metro via the Red/Purple line to the Civic Center/Grand Park station.  The park was named one of American Planning Association’s 10 “Great Public Spaces” in the U.S. for 2013.  Grand Park’s transformation is a credit to the leadership of Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina and the Grand Avenue Committee, established to create and implement the vision for Grand Park and commercial developments on Grand Avenue.  The $56 million for the construction of Grand Park was comprised of $50 million in pre-paid rent for ground leases from Related Companies—a key condition Supervisor Molina was instrumental in securing—plus other city funds and interest.  Under the direction of the county, Grand Park was developed by Related Companies with an award-winning creative team, including landscape architect, Rios Clementi Hale Studios; general contractor, Charles Pankow Builders; environmental graphic design firm, Sussman/Prejza; and fountain design consultants, Fluidity.  Working closely with the county, The Music Center is responsible for all operations and programming for the park.  For more information, visit http://grandparkla.org/

About L.A. Taco

L.A. Taco has been a cultural force in Los Angeles since 2005. An arts collective, multimedia publisher, and event producer, the group consists of multidisciplinary writers and artists with various backgrounds from every part of Los Angeles. Visit lataco.com for more information.