Salsa festival looking for vendors and chefs

The City of Maricopa Community Services Department is looking for vendors and salsa chefs for the 5th Annual Maricopa Salsa Festival Presented by inmaricopa.com. This year’s “Salsa Under the Stars” will be held on Saturday, April 25, from 5-9 p.m. at Pacana Park.

Events will include a beer and margarita garden, salsa dancing and lots of musical entertainment.

“The Community Services Department and Orbitel Communications have teamed up to create the ‘O Zone’ where kids will get a chance to play all of the latest and greatest video games using the Nintendo Wii, X-Box 360 and Sony Playstation 3 platforms. At the end of the night, three lucky teens or tweens will win those gaming systems in an exciting raffle,” explained Community Services Director Marty McDonald.

This year’s Kidz Zone will feature free snow cones, a slime zone, inflatable bounce houses, obstacle courses, an 18-foot tall super slide and more. There will also be carnival style games for kids to play and live performances featuring dance, karate, music and gymnastics on the special Kidz Zone Stage. “We’re even staging a huge Pinata Bash!” said McDonald.

Shop Maricopa Zone registration has been extended to Friday, March 13, or until all spots are filled. Space is limited with only 130 booth spots available for businesses, food vendors or non-profit groups with information to share. Booths can be decorated and giveaways handed out to promote each company or group’s name and/or products.

According to McDonald, “This is an excellent opportunity for you to promote your business at an event that will have a captive audience of 10,000 or more salsa lovers.”

The Shop Maricopa Zone is expected to be even bigger and better this year; registration is available for download here.

For specific questions on the Shop Maricopa Zone, contact Katy Konski by email or via phone at (520) 316-6963.

The brand new www.maricopasalsafestival.com site is now live with information to download, news links, maps, a blog, a recipe corner and more. Top sponsors have their logos featured on the site that users can click on to take them to the sponsors’ sites. The first featured recipe is for a tangy Mango Habanera Salsa.

More salsa chefs are also needed for the festival’s competition. Contestants will battle for a $1,000 cash prize for Best Overall Salsa with $500 in cash going to the Best Mild Salsa, Best Hot Salsa and Most Unusual Salsa. Two additional categories ar best Guacamole and Best Bean Dip; contestants in these categories can win a $300 cash prize.

There is no cost to enter the competition. Registration and information can be downloaded here.

Submitted photo