It's that time of year again, folks. The leaves are green, the temperatures are falling to a bone chilling 75 degrees, and pumpkin spiced everything is everywhere. It's officially fall in the Bayou City and we all know what that means, it's time for the 4th annual Tacolandia festival.

On Saturday October 27, the Houston Press will celebrate the 4th incarnation of the city's holiest of taco-based holidays. Tacolandia returns to the Water Works at Buffalo Bayou Park for an afternoon of unlimited taco tasting and margarita drinking.

Thirty of Houston's best restaurants, from Tex-Mexican to South African, will compete for the one of five distinguished honors: Most Interesting, Best Traditional, Best Pork, Best Beef, and Best Overall Taco. The full list of competitors are as follows:



Batanga



Berryhill Baja Grill



Black Market Burritos



Boheme



Bundt Cake-A-Holic



Cochinita & Co.



Culinary Institute Lenorte



Cyclone Anaya's Mexican Kitchen



Del Real Foods



El Topo Food Truck



Fajita Pete's



Freebirds



Hugo's



La Calle Tacos & Tortas



La Fisheria Seafood & Mexican Cocina



Line & Lariat



Los Cocos Mexican Cafe



Los Tios Mexican Restaurant



Lupe Tortilla



Mama Ninfa's Tacos y Tortas



Max's Wine Dive



Mission Foods



Luna y Sol Mexican Grill



Part & Parcel



Peli Peli South African Kitchen



Pollo Campero



Rainbow Lodge



Taco Planet



Tea Victory



Tony's Mexican Restaurant

Taqueria del Sol scored points for using a hot grill to churn out authentic Mexican street tacos filled with beef fajita or pastor. Photo by Mai Pham

Your evening's judging panel will be comprised of some of Houston's best and brightest culinary minds (also the author of this article). Among them, start restaurateur, former Next Iron Chef competitor, and darling of the Houston food scene, chef Bryan Caswell of Reef. Joining him will be multi-talented chef, bartender, and freelance Houston Press contributor, Kate McLean. Also on the panel will be freelance food writer Lorretta Ruggeiro, who's accolades include stints writing for the Book Reporter and Creative Loafing in Savannah, Georgia. Last but not least, freelance photographer and taco journalist Marco Torres, who's list of taco related accomplishments include several photographs in the 2016, Tacos of Texas, book.

Tacolandia 2018 is presented by Misson Foods, with proceeds from this year's event benefiting Kid's Meals. Kid's Meals is an outstanding local charity that provides much needed meals and first response to children age 5 and under who face debilitating hunger due to extreme poverty.

Although current forecasts look promising for the weekend, the festival is scheduled to occur rain or shine. So pack an umbrella if need be because the grills will be firing either way. As always, Tacolandia is a strictly 21 and over event so please find a sitter and a sober ride, mom and dad.

Tickets are still on sale on the Tacolandia Houston website. General admission starts at $35 with VIP admission starting at $75. Day of tickets are expected to sell out so don't wait.