In 2012, Jackie Moffett, co-founder of the Northwest Tequila Fest, went to Vegas; but not until after she returned to the Pacific Northwest did she roll the dice.
After visiting a tequila festival during her stay in Sin City, Moffett decided she wanted to celebrate the agave-distilled spirit in the Pacific Northwest. Moffett said there is a great tequila culture in Seattle and it needed to have a festival of its own.
After taking a break last year, Northwest Tequila Fest is back and stronger than ever. Moffett said the festival used to be held in parking lots, but this year the festival will take place within the confines of Seattle’s Fremont Foundry. The Foundry is both an indoor and outdoor venue, so there is less threat of rain than previous years, Moffett said.
This year, Moffett said festival attendees are in for a special treat. Carlos Camarena, one of the forefathers of the modern tequila industry, will be giving a seminar and offering advice to aspiring tequila producers and the average tequila aficionados.
In addition to Camarena there will be other guest speakers, Mariachi Mexico Mariachi Band will perform, cornhole will be played and over 178 different kinds of spirit will be pourin’.
Available spirits include tequila, mescal and sotol. The event is supposed to sell out, with around 1,000 patrons filling the Foundry.
“If you’ve never tried any kind of agave spirits, this is the best way to try them out,” Moffett said.
The Northwest Tequila Fest takes place on April 22 and 23. One-day tickets start at $49.
