The 16th annual Agave Heritage Festival on April 18-21 is fast approaching, bringing together the largest enriching and interactive four-day event in its history.
Guests will partake in curated dinners, educational sessions and tastings of some of the world’s finest agave spirits, then cap off the weekend with a special new event, the first annual Howard Scott Gentry Lifetime Achievement Award Gala Dinner and Fundraiser at the JW Starr Pass Marriott Hotel.
Creatively celebrating the agave’s versatility and sustainability in Tucson, the festival ties together the city’s rich cultural history and the traditions that unite the people of the Southwest and the Sonoran Desert borderlands. It offers a unique perspective into the flavors and traditions of regional and heritage foods and spirits.
In its 16th year, the festival has reached new heights, with more than 55 events packed into just four days. Agave enthusiasts, from professionals to fans, can partake in many offerings such as five incredible dining opportunities, 12 guided tasting workshops, a carne asada celebration and seminar, and countless opportunities for guests to immerse themselves in the ever-expanding world of the agave.
New program highlights are below, with full details and tickets available at agaveheritagefestival.com.
Heritage Dinner Series
The Heritage Dinner Series is the best way to explore the world of flavors of the borderlands and beyond. Participating chefs work closely with agave spirits experts to create memorable dining experiences.
On April 18, dine al fresco at the Seis Heritage Dinner while Seis Chef/owner Jacob Munoz prepares a regional Mexican multi-course dinner served with curated agave spirits and cocktail pairings from Don Julio. Dinner courses include Guacamole, Poached Shrimp Tostada, Guajillo Braised Short Rib and Mango Gelato.
Maynards Kitchen Regional Cuisine and Culinary Collective Dinner on April 19 features guest Chef Dr. Mae Hey and Don Guerra of Barrio Bread and the Center for Regional Food Studies, collaborating on the epicurean experience of the year featuring a six-course menu highlighting regional and local ingredients accompanied with mezcal neat and cocktails. The dinner includes remarks from brand experts on the history and craft of agave spirits along with Dr. Hey, Don Guerra and a representative from the Center for Regional Food Studies speaking about the history of agave around food, fiber, beverage and culture.
Visit the Historic Coronet Restaurant on April 21 for the Tequila Casahuin Heritage Dinner. Upon entering The Coronets’ stunning 160-year-old property, guests will be greeted with a signature cocktail, passed appetizers and a warm welcome from Chef Fleming and Proprietor Sally Kane. The four-course main dinner takes place under the stars, where the guests will enjoy Tequila Cascahuin neat to truly experience the supreme craftsmanship from the heart of Jalisco.
Agave Spirits Tastings, Education And Culture
Led by industry experts, guided tastings are the best way to fully experience the world of mezcal.
For literary or film enthusiasts, two events are can’t-miss: Cristol Bar hosts the closing reception on April 18 for the Poetry Center at the University of Arizona Hannelore Quander-Rattee Works in Translation Reading featuring Natalia Toledo. Representatives from NETA, Ixcateco and PM agave spirits will pour a selection of premiere spirits from the Logoch and Nochixtlan regions of Oaxaca in honor of Toledo’s reading. On April 19, the Museum of Contemporary Art Tucson hosts a film screening of “Guardianes del Espiritu,” a new documentary on traditional mezcal production and its role in rural Mexican society. Directly following the screening, Bar Crisol will host a tasting and discussion with filmmaker Alberto Peschard along with Bildo Saravia and Asis Cortez of Mezcal Origen Raíz.
On April 19, three icons of the Oaxacan mezcal world join together for a one-night-only tasting at Tooley’s Cafe. Join Sandra Ortiz Brenna of In Situ Mezcaleria and Mezcaciarca Mezcal, Graciela Angeles Carreño Mezcal Real Minero, and Silvia Philion of Mezcaloteca as they guide guests through an intimate exploration of some of their favorite bottlings.
Mujer Agave is a collective of women in the agave spirits industry where unity, legacy and joy are taught through diverse conferences and experiences. It is geared toward empowering and connecting female stakeholders in the agave industry across disciplines.
Round out the experience with tastings at Crisol Bar:
On April 20, they will present a Spirits of Northern Mexico Tasting. Join Luis Loya of Lamata, Omhar Acuña of Los Cantiles 1905, and the Encinas family of Batuq to learn about the history, geography, botany, and current production of bacanora, palmilla, lechuguilla, and other distillates in the Mexican North.
The evening of April 21, challenge your palate with events including a Sotol Tasting and Maestros del Mezcal Blind Tasting. Cristol Bar welcomes sotol activists Sandro Canovaz and Ohmar Acuna of Los Cantiles 1905 for a tasting and discussion surrounding sotol’s heritage and production. Derived from the Dasylirion genus (aka Desert Spoon), Sotol is not an agave spirit but it neighbors agave spirits in its similar production methods, Sotol’s denomination of origin embraces three Mexican states – Chihuahua, Coahuils and Durango as well as other northern stages including Sonora. Host Hugo Gonzales of Maestros del Mezcal and Of Spine & Vine Imports will conduct an exciting blind tasting of five Maestros del Mezcal expressions. Participants should have their palates primed as there will be a competitive element to this tasting.
Cultural Events
April 18 – Spirit of Sonora Cultural Expo & Celebration at the Temple of Music and Art Water Conservation and Agriculture for a Resilient Borderlands
Presented by Flowers and Bullets, Sonoran Institute, Southwest Folklife Alliance, Cox Communications and Businesses for Water Stewardship, and moderated by Michael Zenner of the Sonoran Institute, this event Features a morning of important discourse around the past, present and future of culture, conservation, community, and knowledge for an equitable and prosperous future for everyone. Topics will include water resources, bio piracy, heirloom plants and seeds and more. Details TBA.
April 20 – Agave Fiesta on the Plaza at the Historic Hotel Congress
This annual signature event brings it all together in one evening under the stars on the plaza at Hotel Congress. It is the ultimate showcase for all things agave with over 50 artisanal and ancestral mezcals and an agave cocktail showcase. Enjoy live music by Mama Coal, agave spirit tastings along with some delectable, perfectly paired food prepared by the Cup Café Culinary team food, agave art, and presentations by industry experts. The ticket includes 1 beer sample, 4 neat pours, 2 cocktail samples, and paired food from the Cup Café culinary team.
April 21 – Spirit of Sonora Community Carne Asada Fiesta at Flowers & Bullets Midtown Farm
Join Flowers & Bullets Farm, Agave Heritage Festival and the greater Tucson Community in celebrating the special connection agave and community have to our borderlands and Mexico. This cross-cultural community celebration highlights the newly purchased Mid Town Farm by Flowers and Bullets along with their commitment to creating outlets for under-served youth and communities through sharing skills, promoting placed-basedconnections, and telling stories around the ways of life in the Barrio Centro Community. This Spirit of Sonora Community Fiesta includes live music from the Acuna’s, Bacanora spirit samples, tours of the farm, local artisan vendors, food vendors, and lively discussions on the future of our region through the lens of the agave plant.
Special Event
A celebratory dinner culminates a four-day celebration of the agave plant and its role as a keystone of the borderlands, highlighting the culture, heritage, diversity, and sustainability of this plant and our region. The Agave Heritage Festival, the Southwest Center, and Borderlands Restoration Network are pleased to present the first annual Howard Scott Gentry Lifetime Achievement Award Gala Dinner and Fundraiser on April 21 at the JW Starr Pass Marriott Hotel. Local chefs will collaborate with agave industry experts to present a multi-course tapas style dinner utilizing regional and heritage ingredients. Each course will be paired with agave spirit cocktails or neat pours featuring Tequila Ocho. This inaugural event pays homage to botanist Howard Scotty Gentry and his lifetime of achievements as the world’s leading authority on the agave.