LAKEVIEW — Unique tacos — from cactus to pulled pork with an Asian twist — will be the hallmark of Southport's inaugural Taco Fest this weekend.
Eight local restaurants will be serving up their version of a taco, with both hard and soft shells, for the Sam Adams Lakeview Taco Fest. The goal: serve up tacos with "imaginative ingredients," according to the event description.
And, as the name suggests, Sam Adams beer will be around, too. The Boston-based brewery will be serving up more than a dozen beers.
Attendees will be able to vote on their favorite taco. To add to the theme, wrestlers will be throwing down in masks, a-la "lucha libre." They will be holding matches at Southport and Cornelia from 5-6:30 p.m. both days.
The festival will be on Southport between Addison and Newport, from noon to 10 p.m. Saturday and noon to 9 p.m. Sunday. A suggested entry fee of $5 will go toward the Lakeview Chamber of Commerce.
Vendors include:
Bodega Bar de Tacos, 1964 N. Sheffield Ave.
Cafe El Tapatio, 3400 N. Ashland Ave., with grilled portabella tacos with mango salsa and amber-battered shrimp with chili tacos
Crosby's Kitchen, 3455 N. Southport Ave., with pulled pork tacos and rotisserie chicken tacos
Mystic Celt, 3443 N. Southport Ave., with cactus tacos and steak tacos
The Pony, 1638 W. Belmont Ave., with duck, smoked beef and pork belly tacos
Taco Joint, 1969 N. Halsted St.
Toons Bar & Grill, 3857 N. Southport Ave., with Tex-Mex smoked brisket tacos and pulled-pork tacos with Asian slaw
Music lineup:
Saturday, September 21
3:30 p.m. Rico (funk/soul)
6 p.m. Get Up With the Get Downs (funk)
8 p.m. Freddy Jones Band (roots rock)
Sunday, September 22
3:30 p.m. Stache (pop/rock)
6 p.m. Kashmir (Led Zeppelin tribute)
7 p.m. Wedding Banned (pop/rock)
