The annual Spirits of Mexico Festival, North America’s largest celebration of agave-based and other Mexican spirits, kicks off this year in San Diego with Tequila Trail on Sunday, Sept. 9, from 3 to 6 p.m.

For the price of a $35 ticket, Mexican cuisine connoisseurs and tequila lovers will blaze through the streets of Old Town San Diego sampling selections of agave spirits paired with culinary specialties from the participating restaurants.

Sponsored by Cointreau, attendees will sample the finest tequilas, mescals, sotols, bacanoras and other Mexican spirits as well as savor culinary specialties from 12 of Old Town’s celebrated eateries: Barra Barra Saloon, Café Coyote, Casa de Reyes, Casa Guadalajara, El Alamo, El Fandango, Fred’s Mexican Café, La Piñata, Miguel’s Cocina, Old Town Mexican Café, Rockin’ Baja Coastal Cantina and The Cosmopolitan Restaurant.

“After the great success of last year’s inaugural event, even more restaurants and tequila brands were excited to sign on and be part of the event,” said Chuck Ross of Fiesta de Reyes. “This event offers attendees a ‘taste of Old Town’ and some of the best tequilas from the Spirits of Mexico festival.”

These restaurants will offer up tastes of their signature dishes accompanied with assorted tequila brands. Some of the tastings that will be featured are: mango sea bass ceviche from Barra Barra Saloon, tequila lime shrimp from Rockin Baja, chile colorado and cilantro rice from Casa de Reyes and a variety of street tacos with a fresh salsa bar at Casa Guadalajara.

The 2012 Tequila Trail is a fundraiser for the Old Town Chamber of Commerce and is made possible by Cointreau, Fiesta de Reyes, and International Wine and Spirits Group, producers of Spirits of Mexico.

Following the end of Tequila Trail, three after parties will ensue at Fiesta de Reyes, Casa Guadalajara and Café Coyote. These after parties require an additional $10 admission.

The 2012 Spirits of Mexico Festival is set to showcase hundreds of the world’s top agave and other Mexican spirits Sept. 9 through 16 in the historic heart of San Diego — Old Town San Diego. The Spirits of Mexico Festival is arguably the largest and most prestigious event for agave spirits in North America. This year’s San Diego festival will be packed with tasting receptions, educational seminars, a comprehensive tasting competition and resultant awards ceremony, as well as plenty of authentic Mexican cuisine. For more information about the San Diego Spirits of Mexico Festival, visit www.thespiritsofmexico.com.

To purchase tickets for Tequila Trail, go to oldtowntequilatrail.com.

Comments

comments