- The annual festival is the single largest economic driver event in the area, bringing in over $6 million annually to Greenville and the surrounding communities.
Everyone loves a festival, especially one that celebrates one of Mississippi’s favorite foods.
Held each year on the third weekend of October when the weather’s cool and the tamales are hot, the Delta Hot Tamale Festival has grown into one of the most exciting events of the year. Last year over 20,000 visitors from around the country traveled to Greenville, which was a serious and intentional commitment, as many flew into Memphis or Jackson, rented a car, and drove 150 miles to the center of the tamale universe.
The festival began as many festivals do, with an idea among friends. In the case of the Delta Hot Tamale Festival, Valerie Rankin, Anne Martin Vetrano, and Betty Lynn Cameron (known now as “The 3 Hot Ta’Mamas) thought it would be a good idea to start a festival to celebrate their favorite food, and that’s exactly what they did. The first festival was in 2012, and it has grown every year.
The festival is now produced by Main Street Greenville. This year they were honored with a very prestigious title – the Delta Hot Tamale Festival was named the number one Specialty Food Festival in the nation by USA Today’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards.
“We are thrilled and deeply honored to receive this recognition from USA Today,” says Daniel Boggs, CEO of the Greater Greenville Development Foundation, the parent organization of Main Street Greenville. “The Delta Hot Tamale Festival is a labor of love for our community, and to be acknowledged on a national level is truly remarkable.”
Why Tamales?
So, why celebrate the Delta-style hot tamale? Boggs says it is more than just a food festival.
“It’s a celebration of our rich cultural heritage and a testament to the revitalization efforts in our community,” said Boggs.
He explains that the Delta Hot Tamale Festival is the single largest economic driver event in the area, bringing in over $6 million annually to Greenville and the surrounding communities. With visitors coming from 17 different states and 8 countries, the festival’s attendance doubles the population of the town each year.
Economic drivers aside, the hot tamale has an interesting history, one filled with mystique about its origin, which in typical Delta style is part of its allure. No one can say for sure when or how tamales became a common food in the Delta. Some claim tamales first appeared in the region when American soldiers brought the recipe home after fighting in the Mexican American War in the late 1840s. Others say the hot tamales were reinterpreted by Black laborers around a hundred years later when Mexican workers brought the easy-to-transport tamales to the fields for lunch. Realizing that selling tamales could be a lucrative side gig, family members of migrant farm workers began making tamales for the masses, followed by family members of the Black laborers.
No matter when or how the tamales were introduced to the area, they have been a perennial hit, whether sold in roadside tamale stands or James Beard-winning restaurants. The Delta version of the tamale is a bit different from its Mexican counterpart. Delta hot tamales are simmered, not steamed. They have a gritter texture due to the use of corn meal instead of the traditional masa. Delta tamales, surprisingly, tend to have a bit more spice.
Tied closely to the blues, a Blues Trail marker was erected in front of the White Front Cafe in Rosedale by the Mississippi Blues Commission in 2011.
2024 Delta Hot Tamale Festival
This year’s festival is filled with a variety of events, with something for just about everyone. The festival kicks off with the popular Welcome Dinner. The dinner features some of the South’s finest chefs under the direction of celebrity chef Dave Crews who will prepare a wide array of dishes in courses for those who were lucky enough to score a ticket. The event will begin at 6pm this evening in the courtyard of Hotel 27 with cocktails, dinner, and a dance party. This year’s event (like every other year) is sold out.
The full schedule of events for the weekend can be found on the Main Street Greenville website. Some of the highlights include Food Truck Friday, which starts at 11:00am. A Friday night concert begins at 4:45 pm, culminating with country singer and songwriter Adam Doleac on the main stage at 7:30pm.
Saturday morning the Hot Ta’Mamas, decked out in their corn husk hoop skirts, will lead the parade down historic Washington Avenue in downtown Greenville. Each year a Hot Tamale Festival King and Queen are named. It’s a fun way to honor those who have made significant contributions to the community. This year Bill Brozovich and Terri Lane were crowned. They will be celebrated in Saturday’s parade.
The International Food Festival features vendor booths with a variety of offerings, including many selling tamales by the dozen. A Taste of the Festival ticket gives you a selection of tamales paired with four craft beers during scheduled seatings at 11am, noon, and 1pm.
Many ancillary events are planned throughout the day, including the Artist Nook featuring artists Cliff Speaks and D. Kosmo.
The festival concludes with Saturday evening’s concert featuring country music artist Sammy Kershaw. If you can’t make it to this year’s festival, you can enjoy the 2024 Delta Hot Tamale Festival playlist on Spotify and Amazon.
Susan Marquez
