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5th Annual Tamalada Festival
Sponsored by the John E. Conner Museum
Saturday, November 7, 2026, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- Memorial Student Union Building (MSUB) Courtyard, 1050 W. Santa Gertrudis St.
- John E. Conner Museum, 905 W. Santa Gertrudis St.
The Tamalada Festival is an educational, family-friendly event that is free and open to the public. The festival brings together presenters from our South Texas communities and Texas A&M University-Kingsville to celebrate and education the history, contributions and cultural value of corn, tamales, and tamaladas.
Main Stage Performances
10:00 a.m. | Grupo Herencia Javelina – Folklorico performance and dance lessons by TAMUK student organization
11:30 a.m. | Joey Villanueva y Su Conjunto – Conjunto Performance
1:00 p.m. | Javelina Jaht 6 – Performance by TAMUK Jazz Combo, led by Dr. Theresa Chen, Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies
Activities, Crafts, & More
- Tamal Tasting featuring tamales from Hillcrest Tortillas, Inc. in Hebbronville.
- Begins at 11 a.m. until supply runs out
- Limit 2 tamales per adult & 1 per child, on a first-come, first-serve basis
- Interactive demonstrations
- Metate y Mano Corn Grinding Station | MANRRS TAMUK student organization
- Build-your-own Spice Blend | Sponsored by Aramark
- Hands-on crafts & activities
- DIY Maracas | Sponsored by Athena Department, Woman’s Club of Kingsville
- Applied Engineering Technology Station | Sponsored by Department of Industrial Management & Technology
- Bandana Bling Bar | Sponsored by the College of Arts & Sciences
- Tamalada Tales | Sponsored by the Anthropology Club & the South Texas Archives
- Collecting Stories & Pictures: the community is invited to share a story, picture, or memory of the university, family Tamalada, or favorite holiday tradition/foods.
- Food trucks & vendors | inside the MSUB and along Santa Gertrudis St.
- TAMUK Bookstore | MSUB 1st floor
- On display at the Conner Museum:
- Javelina Engineering Heritage: 90 Years of Engineering What’s Next
