KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Mattie Rhodes Center is set to host the community for its third-annual Tamale Festival, an event that goes beyond the food.
The event started three years ago by Crystal Nieves and her husband Raul.
"We saw taco fests, we saw barbecue festivals, we saw all types of festivals, but we never saw a tamale one," Nieves said.
Thanks to the Mattie Rhodes Center their vision was able to come into fruition in 2022.
“For an organization like Mattie Rhodes to help us along the way, to make this a reality, has been a huge blessing. They have been so supportive and we didn't know exactly what we wanted this to be," Nieves said.
The highlight of the event is the big tamale competition, where many will be battling it out for the first place prize. Nieves said besides the competition, it's a way for people to gather around through foods from different cultures.
"We just wanted to showcase what families are making at home," Nieves said. "What businesses are proud to make, because like I said, it's a very complex dish and if you can nail it, it makes you so happy and proud of your roots as well.”
The Mattie Rhodes Center, known for being a right hand in support of many Hispanic families, wanted to bring cultural and visual arts to new heights.
“Culture and celebrating culture through visual arts, through food, music, that's what we're about. It's a way to bring the community together," said John Fierro, president of the center.
The event will feature a variety of local vendors, food trucks, live music and games for the family to enjoy.
"When you bring over 1,500 individuals to an event like this, it's all about the talk, it's all about the feedback on what needs to happen, what's already happened," Fierro said.
The festival starts at 4 p.m. and will take place outside the Mattie Rhodes Cultural Center off Jarboe Street near Southwest Boulevard. The event is free for everyone, with the tamale competition beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Check out the center's website to learn more about their mission and upcoming events.
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