Tucson 23 Mexican Food Festival Celebrates the Best of Mexican Food and Culture

Southern Arizona Arts and Cultural Alliance in partnership with Visit Tucson Announce the First Annual Tucson 23 Mexican Food Festival – Celebrating the Best Mexican Food North of the Border

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Mexican cuisine is known around the world for its intense and varied flavors, colorful presentation, and variety of spices. The country’s fertile resources have enriched Mexican cuisine with diverse regional cuisines from Oaxacan molè to the conchinita pilil of the Yucatan. With an enhanced mission to provide a comprehensive cultural experience to its patrons, title sponsor Visit Tucson, in collaboration with the Southern Arizona Arts & Cultural Alliance present The Tucson 23, celebrating ‘The Best 23 Miles of Mexican Food in America’. The Tucson 23 will bring together some of Tucson’s most authentic Mexican restaurants at this unique culinary event, celebrating the tradition and richness of the flavors of Mexico.
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Embark on a culinary marathon of Tucson’s delectable Mexican restaurants on Saturday, June 18th, at 6 PM at the JW Marriott Starr Pass. The Tucson 23 will bring together the restaurants from the Best 23 Miles of Mexican Food in America, highlighting dishes you’ve heard of, like tacos, burritos, and enchiladas, and some you may be experiencing for the first time like caramelos, toritos, and raspados. Or sink your teeth into a world famous Sonoran Hot Dog! 

“The Best 23 Miles of Mexican Food isn’t just an opportunity to show off Tucson’s great Mexican food, it’s also a way for us to talk about the borderlands experience you can have here in Tucson. We love the rich moles at Café Poca Cosa and fish tacos served from a trailer on South Sixth Avenue, but we also celebrate the music, art and influences of Mexican culture in Tucson. All of that is part of the Best 23 Miles” said Brent DeRaad, President and CEO of Visit Tucson.

In addition to the culinary delights The Tucson 23 will feature traditional music and dance performances from across Latin America. Here, you’ll experience an explosion of brilliantly colored costumes and time-honored cultural traditions. Attendees will also have the opportunity to discover craft micro-brews from across Sonora and delve into the rich traditions and flavors of mescal, bacanora, and tequila.
 
The Tucson 23’s venue partner, JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa, is offering Tucson 23 ticketholders special weekend getaway packages as well as hosting several pre-event activities exclusively for Tucson 23 attendees staying at the hotel allowing them to delve even deeper into Mexico’s rich traditions and flavors. The pre-event including: a celebrity chef dinner, cooking classes, tortilla making, a tequila infusion demonstration, an authentic Mexican brunch, as well as spa and golf specials. Attendees of the Tucson 23 will be given exclusive access to these special offers following their event ticket purchase.

Tickets to The Tucson 23 include unlimited food tastings from all participating restaurants. Beer, tequila and cocktail sampling, and live entertainment featuring mariachi, flamenco guitar, and Ballet Folklorico. Tickets are available at www.SAACA.org or by calling (520) 797-3959 x 7.
 
The Tucson 23
When: Saturday, June 18 at 6 p.m.
Where: JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa, 3800 W Starr Pass Blvd, Tucson, AZ 85745
Cost: $45
Online: www.saaca.org
Phone: (520) 797-3959
 
About the Best 23 Miles of Mexican Food
Tucson is home to the most authentic Mexican north of the border. The highest concentration of these restaurants is found within a 23-mile area that includes the City of South Tucson, Downtown, and lower midtown. At these terrific eateries, many of which are family-owned and decades old, the settings are casual, the ingredients are fresh, and the experience is unforgettable.
 
About Visit Tucson
Visit Tucson is the official destination marketing organization for Tucson and southern Arizona. Its mission is to drive economic development by connecting visitors with their ideal travel and meetings experiences. Visit Tucson is financially supported by the City of Tucson, Pima County, and the Town of Oro Valley and more than 500 individual and business partners. For more information, go to VisitTucson.org.

About JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa
Nestled on 50 acres in the saguaro-covered foothills of Tucson National Park, the AAA Four Diamond Starr Pass Resort & Spa is considered one of Tucson's premier destination resorts.  Featuring 575 guestrooms (including 35 suites) with picturesque views, the resort offers 88,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space, six dining experiences, 20,000 square-foot Hashani Spa, fitness center, a collection of outdoor water features including the meandering Starr Canyon River and  Monsoon Falls waterslide, the Blur Teen Lounge and Rising Starr Kid's Club, two tennis courts and access to multiple hiking and biking trails on property. Starr Pass Golf Club features 27 holes of championship golf designed by Arnold Palmer.   JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa is located just 12 miles from Tucson International Airport.  With easy access to Interstate 10, the resort is a short 90 minute drive from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.  Visit us online, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.  JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort is located at 3800 W. Starr Pass Boulevard in Tucson.
 
 About the Southern Arizona Arts and Cultural Alliance
The Southern Arizona Arts and Cultural Alliance (SAACA) is a not-for-profit organization that exists to ensure that, through engagement in arts and culture, our communities produce strong, inspired citizens. SAACA enlists artists, businesses, governments, and individuals to expand artistic and cultural opportunities in their respective communities. To enhance access to the arts and to promote cultural awareness in the communities it serves, SAACA presents large-scale festivals, events and other programs. The Alliance also promotes educational opportunities in the arts and culture for all ages.  
 
For more information about programs and events produced by the Southern Arizona Arts and Cultural Alliance, go to www.saaca.org.