Top Taco festival not returning for 2025

NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — Top Taco, which was an annual celebration of tacos and tequila will not take place in 2025.

Organizers say ongoing market conditions and a significant shift in industry sponsorship priorities have made it difficult to put on Top Taco successfully, so they made the difficult decision to pause the event.

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“Festivals and events around the country are folding due to dwindling ticket sales and reduced sponsorship,” said Shane Finkelstein, founder of Top Taco and Yeah You Right Events. “Rather than scale back or oversell the event, we’ve chosen neither. I didn’t get into festival production to disappoint people. I have high standards for our events, and if those can’t be met, I believe it’s best to take a step back and reevaluate.”

Finkelstein said that in mid-2024 many major liquor brands significantly reduced or eliminated their local marketing budgets, which left event producers increasingly reliant on ticket sales to maintain the high standards of Top Taco.

Top Taco NOLA launched in 2017 with 30 restaurants and 2,500 guests on hand at Riverwalk’s Spanish Plaza. By 2019, it had expanded to over 50 restaurants and 4,500 attendees at Woldenberg Park. After a pandemic pause and relocation to Lafreniere Park in 2021, the event continued to grow in scope and reputation, becoming a staple in the local festival landscape. In 2022, the team also launched Food Fight, a second culinary competition showcasing the city’s top chefs and mixologists.

“I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished over the past eight years,” added Finkelstein. “Beyond creating unforgettable experiences for food and drink lovers, we’ve raised more than $300,000 for local children’s charities including One Heart NOLA and The PLEASE Foundation.”

Organizers hope to bring Top Taco back in 2026.

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