Indio opens vendor applications, survey for 34th tamale festival

The city of Indio has opened vendor applications and a community feedback survey for the 34th Indio International Tamale Festival, set for Dec. 5-6 in downtown Indio.

The festival will take place on the streets surrounding City Hall and Center Stage, including Miles Avenue, Smurr Street, Towne Street and Civic Center Drive.

A companion survey is asking both past attendees and those who have not been to the festival to weigh in. Respondents are asked whether they attended the 2025 festival — both days, Saturday only, Sunday only or not at all — and what they enjoyed most, with options including tamale vendors and food, live music and entertainment, cultural performances, carnival rides, the Community Stage and Mercado vendors.

The survey also asks what residents want to see more of in 2026, offering choices such as more tamale vendors, traditional and cultural programming, live music, larger national or tribute performers, children’s activities, cooking demonstrations or tamale-making classes, local business booths, and more seating and shade.

The festival is open to restaurants, food trucks, caterers, nonprofit organizations, individuals and other community members interested in selling food, provided they meet City of Indio and Riverside County Environmental Health requirements. Individuals without an existing food business may also apply, though food prepared for sale must be made onsite or in an approved commercial kitchen rather than a residential home kitchen.

The city said vendor applications are reviewed based on menu variety, space availability, completeness of the application, compliance with health and safety requirements, and overall fit with the festival, and that submitting an application does not guarantee acceptance.

Booth fees are listed online as $250 for nonprofit vendors, $400 for tamale vendors, $600 for Mercado vendors and $750 for food vendors, with standard booths measuring 10 feet by 10 feet. Vendors requiring larger footprints must purchase additional 10-by-10 spaces at the applicable rate. Each tamale vendor must offer at least one tamale item priced at $3.

The application process comes months after the city announced in May that the festival would return to downtown Indio after several years at Miles Avenue Park, where it had relocated during construction of a new public library and City Hall. City officials said at the time that the park location was never well-suited to the event and that returning downtown was central to rebuilding the festival’s identity, along with lower vendor fees and more affordable carnival rides.

Questions about the vendor application process can be directed to the City of Indio Events Team at events@indio.org.

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