Tequila Sunrise
And this year, you can get in on the ground floor of what could be Mammoth’s next signature event: The Mammoth Margarita Festival.
The event will take place August 10 and 11 in the Village at Mammoth Plaza, and will feature 15 different tequila distilleries and four bands, headlined by Caravanserai, a Santana tribute band that’s so good it’s the only Santana tribute band actually recognized by Carlos Santana.
The event was conceived by the ¡Three Amigos! — Mark Deeds, and Gomez’s Restaurant owners Michael Ledesma and Russ Squier.
Thank God for the intervention of fate and Ledesma.
Deeds was intent on creating a new summer event this year, saw there was an open weekend after Bluesapalooza, had applied for and been granted $6,000 in Measure U money, and was casting about for ideas when he ran into Ledesma at the Oaktree’s Garden Center on Old Mammoth Road next to Brett Walters Insurance/DMV and Mountain Living.
Both share an interest in Gypsy King-style Latin music and tequila, so it wasn’t that much of a stretch to say, “Hey, let’s create an event … around Latin music and tequila.”
The only issue was time. They had 60 days to throw an event together.
But on the plus side, as soon as Deeds and Ledesma began calling tequila distilleries, everyone said yes – they wanted in. In fact, Ledesma had to turn away some vendors, which is unheard of for a first-year event.
But as an August 2011 story by Manuel Rueda for Reuters proclaimed, “Americans are drinking record amounts of tequila even as they migrate toward more expensive and pure varieties that are sipped slowly and savored rather than chugged down in shotglasses with salt and lime.”
Overall, wrote Rueda, sales of tequila in the United States have grown by 47 percent since 2003. U.S. sales of tequila bottles within the $20 wholesale price range have gone up by 129 percent, and sales of bottles priced at $22 and up, known in the industry as the super premium category, increased by 317 percent.
As the event’s commemorative 5 oz. brandy snifter glasses proclaim, “Sip, don’t shoot,” and Squier says, “This is not spring break in Tijuana.”
Sheet: But I thought tequila makes her clothes fall off.
Squier: We will not be playing Kenny Chesney on a loop.
Not only are Squier and Ledesma familiar with Chesney’s music, they also know a thing or two about tequila. Gomez’s features one of the largest selections of tequila in California, serving approximately 320 different varieties ranging in price from $5 to $250 a shot.
“Probably half of all our drink sales are margaritas,” says Squier, who says the Margarita Festival will appropriately feature a Margarita bar.
Event Schedule
The Margarita Festival will co-opt the Village’s Summer Concert series on Friday night and feature two artists, flamenco guitarists Cale and a guitar/violin duo, Vincent and Vedant. Music starts at 6 p.m. and the margarita bar will be in full operation.
Saturday’s tequila tasting will take place between 4-7 p.m. You can buy tickets by logging onto www.mammothmargaritafestival.com or purchase them at the event … $20 for tequila only or $30 for tequila and margarita. Advance purchases receive a $5 discount. The first 100 purchases receive a t-shirt.
On Saturday, Vincent and Vedant will open at 4 p.m., followed by the Ruckatan Latin Tribe, a latin and reggae fusion band, at 6 p.m. and Caravanserai at 8 p.m.
Food vendors at the event (Side Door, Gomez, Lakanuki, Toomey’s) will offer tapa-style selections.
The event is being sponsored by the Village at Mammoth, Measure U and Gomez’s with lodging support provided by Mammoth Mountain, Snowcreek, the Westin Monache, Seasons 4 and 1849 Condominiums.
So this is why I pay a tax on my already back-breaking utility bill? To throw a party for a bunch of drunks? Hey cool!!!!
Here’s an idea. The president for loaning Measure U money for a business use and expecting the loan to be paid back with interest has been established with the loan to (somebody — I’m not sure who) to pay for the air subsidy and that loan is to be paid back within a year with interest.
So, for example, Tequila Sunrise like events that generate profit for private businesses should be able to ask for a loan from Measure U funds with the provision that the loan be paid back with interest. Measure U funds are supposed to be used for special events. But where those special events generate a profit for private business, shouldn’t the people who fund that profit also gain a return for their money? What’s wrong with that idea?
uhhh I meant precedent. What a dufus…
Here’s an idea Ken Warner, know what you’re talking about BEFORE you start pontificating.
“It is better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than to open it and remove all doubt.” Mark Twain
Hi Ken, I wish I could say I was surprised to read your first post about the upcoming Mammoth Margarita Festival. I will restrain and simply say it is completely without merit. To your second post I’ve re read it several times and I am still not sure what you are trying to say or ask. Yes, as a tourism based economy many – most businesses do benefit from special events; lodging, restaurants, retail, markets, gas stations, etc. The largest beneficiary of successful special events is the Town of Mammoth Lakes. A survey conducted and completed by the major event producers in town concluded that every dollar invested into special events yields a 17 to 1 return on investment (back) to the Town of Mammoth Lakes. A significant portion of this money is in the form of Transient Occupancy Tax which as you know goes directly into the town’s general fund and funds critically important town infrastructure (an important thing these days). Also, worth mentioning is each of the last 3 summers (including this summer to date) have broken visitation an town revenue numbers. Each of the last three summers has also offered the fullest event calendars offering our visitors and locals alike more events to attend. Is this just a coincidence? Rather than debate, or attempt to answer further in this forum I would be happy to talk with you in person and chat more about the importance of special events and the Measure U process. I would also value the opportunity to educate you on all of the work that goes into producing a quality event and specifically, the Mammoth Margarita Festival. Mark Deeds – Event Coordinator for Mammoth Margarita Festival 760-709-6459. Thanks Ken.
Mark,
You and your partners got six thousand free dollars ($6000) from We the People. Some of that money came out of my wallet. You and your partners are going to make a few bucks for your own wallet using that money. At least show some gratitude. Or do you somehow feel slighted by that gift?
Regardless of how smart and good looking the customers that pay you $20-$30 dollars to stand around the Village drinking $320 tequila shots think they are, last call at your tequila drinking contest, they still will be just a bunch of drunks.
We’ve all heard the argument about how beneficial events like yours are to our local economy and local businesses. And that is clearly true. No question. But we rarely hear the corollary argument that the local business community should come together through some non-governmental agency (NGO) like the Chamber of Commerce to build a fund from which entrepreneurs like yourself can fund events like your Tequila Sunrise event. Why is that?
Tom Cage suggested that very idea at the meeting where the air service subsidy was being discussed. Nothing but crickets so far. Why don’t you and your partners — who are clearly a lot smarter than me — bring that idea to life? That would be a noble effort on behalf of We the People.
Measure U was deliberately written vague so it could be applied for a variety of uses such as events like yours. I personally feel that the intent of Measure U was to fund venues and infrastructure needs that otherwise would not have a source of funding because they were not for profit events. But it also seems to me that funding events like Tequila Sunrise, with the provision that if the event is a for profit event, those funds should be paid back into the Measure U reservoir with interest so that other entrepreneurs , like yourself and your partners next year, can also stage money making events is a good use of Measure U funds. Good for the entrepreneurs — good for the town.
Why is an astute businessman like yourself having problem with the concept of a loan of public funds for private enterprise purposes?
I want this discussion to be public — not private — not only between me and you. This is an important issue for the town and We the People. We all need to speak out on this. Should Measure U funds be loaned to entrepreneurs like yourself who have a good idea for an event but don’t have the money? I think they should. But I think Measure U funds should be loaned and paid back with interest when used for for profit events. Simple concept. Fair all the way around. Why the insults for presenting that simple idea?
This sounds like a great way to celebrate in Mammoth Lakes. I am interested in learning how we can buy three dozen tickets to the event. My motorcycle club Is thinking of riding up from LA to attend this blowout. Are you doing any custom tee shirts for the event? We would be interested in tickets, tee shirts and 5 hotel rooms for my crew.