Taco Wars is the Ark-La-Tex’s biggest taco festival, featuring local taquerias plus treat vendors and live music! Taquerias will compete for Best Taco and Best Salsa and you get to experience it all! The event takes place in Shreveport Common on the west side of downtown near the historic Shreveport Municipal Auditorium. We take over streets and vacant spaces and bring them to life with the energy of community!

Step 1: Buy Food & Drink Tickets. (1 Ticket = $1).

The only way to purchase food and drink at Taco Wars is with paper Tickets. Each ticket can be purchased for one dollar. Tacos usually cost between 2 and 5 tickets each. Taco prices are set by the taquerias. Waters will cost 1 ticket, sodas will cost 3 tickets, and alcoholic beverages cost between 6 tickets (for some beers) to 12-15 tickets for margaritas. Tickets are NOT refundable once purchased, but you can always buy more if you need them! Cash and card will be accepted to purchase Food & Drink Tickets.

Step 2: Pick Up Your Salsa Voting Token (FREE).

Each guest is entitled to receive a Best Salsa Voting Token. This token will allow you one vote for best salsa. The winner of best salsa competition wins $500 cash! Salsas are available to taste free-of-charge. All guests must be present in-person to receive their Salsa Voting Token.

Step 3: Trade Tickets for Tacos, Drinks, and Merchandise.

Take your Food & Drink Tickets to any vendor at Taco Wars and trade your tickets for tacos, snacks, water, soda, adult beverages, and merchandise. A full menu of tacos, snacks, and drinks will be available online prior to the event.

Step 4: Taste Salsas and Vote for Your Favorite.

Taste as many salsas as you like and drop your token in the voting box of your favorite.

Step 5: Eat More Tacos, Listen to Music, and Eat Snacks

Take your time and enjoy your tacos, go listen to spectacular live music, grab a drink, and make the rounds all over again!

But Wait… How is Best Taco Selected?

Each taqueria must submit one taco from their Taco Wars menu for consideration for the Best Taco competition. The award for Best Taco is judged by a group of guest judges from across the South. To rule out favoritism, no judge is from the Shreveport area.

We love Latino culture and we know you do too. To celebrate these amazing local businesses and culture, we recruit local taquerias who will sell tacos and compete for the coveted Golden Taco competition (a $1,000 cash prize) as chosen by our panel of celebrity taco aficionados.

But that’s not all! The audience will decide the winner of the Best Salsa. Every taqueria will provide free salsa and chips for your consideration, and each attendee will receive a voting token. Taste as many salsas as you like, and pick your favorite! The salsa with the most tokens wins $500 cash!

Taquerias keep 90% of the revenue from tacos sold at their tent. Your taco purchases directly support these amazing local businesses.

A Taco Wars VIP Pass allows you several perks that will give you the very best experience at Taco Wars 2025. We will update the perks when passes go on sale for this year’s event, but generally speaking the VIP pass includes:

– Entry into the exclusive covered VIP Cabana.

– Food demonstrations, tequila tasting, and exclusive special moments throughout the day inside the VIP Cabana.

– Golden Taco Tickets, each good for ANY TACO, regardless of price. Maximum four (2) tacos per visit to a taqueria.

– Golden Margarita Tickets, good for one margarita each.

– Access to the Taco Fast Lane at any taqueria using your Golden Taco Tickets. Fast lane not available when using normal Food/Drink Tickets.

– Unlimited wine, beer, soda, and water at the bar inside the VIP Cabana. Maximum two drinks per visit to the bar.

Eat Local Tacos and Salsas

Starting at 11am, the taquerias at Taco Wars will be open for business with a variety of taco types and styles for you to choose from! Tacos can be purchased using Food/Drink Tickets. Salsa, on the other hand, is free of charge. Use your Salsa Voting Token (Free) to vote for best salsa!

Listen to Live, Authentic Mexican Music

Enjoy live music local and regional performers and a mariachi band which will travel around Taco Wars to serenade you while you eat!

Taste Margaritas, Tequila, and Beer

It wouldn’t be a celebration of tacos and Latino culture without the fruit of the agave (aka tequila). Visit the world-famous Casa de Tequila where you will be able purchase tastes of select tequilas as well as fresh-made margaritas using Food/Drink Tickets. Mexican beer as well as soda and water are also available.