Holy Tamale

December 16 (Saturday)

The Somerton Tamale Festival is an annual event held as a community fundraiser. Tamales and beer are $2 each, so we thought we should help the fund raising efforts! Somerton is just a short drive south of Yuma on Hwy 95.

There were no less than 44 vendors selling tamales. Beef, chicken, pork and green chile were popular varieties. There were also pineapple, strawberry, and pineapple-coconut. They were sweet and a welcome relief to the often fiery spicy meat tamales. Beer helped too! Sorry no pictures.....but it was a tamale! Some were works of art and I wish now I had taken a picture. A tamale is a soft corn dough wrapped around a filling of meat or fruit. The dough is then wrapped in a corn husk and steamed until done. Some of the husks were tapered at the ends and tied with a thin piece of corn husk. Very nice. Made them taste better of course! :-)

We tried four different types of meat ones and had a drink. We also bought four other ones to take home for supper.

Lots of people there by about noon. Some vendors were already running our of their popular varieties.

Behind the scenes

Lots of activity behind the counter

The music was too loud an not very good on the main stage, but at the other end of the street the crowds were thinner, and the entertainment was much better. A Mexican gentleman was singing in Spanish. He was very good……even if we didn't understand a word.

Main Stage - very loud.

The other end of the street. Less people and better entertainment. This guy could really belt out a tune.....even if we didn't understand one word!

Santa and his helper were there to hand out candy to deserving little kids.

The guy in the blue t-shirt spent some time explaining why he should be off the naughty list!

The schools were on hand selling food and providing entertainment. These trumpet-playing kids were pretty good!

A nice quiet spot away from the action.

Enjoying the entertainment

 Lots of activities for the kids too. The mechanical bull was popular. So fun to watch the kids try to ride it. The operator made sure nobody made it, but the kids kept trying!

Lots of activities for the kids.

You have to watch the next series of pictures. This kid was hilarious!

See his smile....

Starting to lose it......

Down......

Down.....

Nearly done......

Done!.....but he was back for more!

Kids love a climbing wall.

He made it!

Overall, a great day. A belly full of tamales and some good laughs.

That was Our View From Here….