WHY Really good, really homemade tamales from church groups, home-based tamale businesses and larger regional tamale makers.

WHAT This free 18-year-old festival is devoted to the humble but heavenly tamale, held during the traditional tamale month, December, which also happens to be the most pleasant time of year in the desert. Tamale booths galore, a tamale-eating contest and tamale judging are balanced out with a parade, carnival rides, Folklorico dancing and other festival amusements.

WHO A big crowd, 150,000 or more—mostly families, and mostly Latino families at that.