Tequila Expo coming to Kitchener next weekend

Often, when people think of tequila, they grow queasy from memories of having too much to drink, or from the taste itself. 

Pablo Tovar wants to change that. 

Tovar is the executive director of Stereo Caliente Entertainment, an entertainment company based out of London, Ont. that hosts multicultural events, including an annual Tequila Expo, which is coming to Kitchener for the first time next weekend. 

“[Tequila is] a beautiful art, it's a beautiful spirit,” he said. Along with being Mexico’s number one export, Mexico is the only country allowed to grow agave, the plant tequila and mezcal come from. 

“The Tequila Expo is a celebration of agave spirits. So what we want to do is educate people and promote tequila and mezcal products,” he said. 

They have several different brands participating, and will have cocktails made with tequila and mezcal as well. 
The theme of the event is Day of the Dead; Tovar said attendees can expect to see decorations, Aztec dancers, a mariachi band, lucha libre wrestlers, and Catrinas walking around to take pictures with people. And of course, tequila. 

Food vendors include local favourites like Los Rolling Tacos, Antojitos Latinos, and Guelph’s La Reina. 

The event started in London five years ago and in Oshawa four years ago. This is the first time Tovar is expanding the event beyond those two cities; Kitchener is the first new city they are venturing into. 

“We started doing the Columbian Gastronomy Festival; that was one of the first festivals that we did here. And then we started doing more festivals, such as the London Taco Fest. And then we had the Tequila Expo. We have done it in London and Oshawa. So that’s the one that we want to bring to different cities in Ontario and throughout Canada,” he said. 

The event has sold out every year since they first launched. The evening session in Kitchener has already sold out, which is why they opened an afternoon session — something they don’t normally do. 

“Being Latin American, it’s really important… to promote our culture. For example, all many people know about Mexico or Columbia is just bad things, like bad news about drugs and stuff like that. So that's why I want to promote other beautiful things that our countries can offer.” 

“So at the end of the day, we also want to introduce the party, the celebration, that's our Latino American culture. We want people to learn more about tequila, but at the same time, we want people to have fun.”

They are also releasing a Tequila Expo lager this year that they made in collaboration with the London Brewing Corp. Kitchener will be the first city to try it. 

“What I love about these events is to see people happy,” Tovar said. “That's my passion, it’s my love and to see people just dancing, enjoying a really nice taco, having a sip of tequila or a shot of tequila, you know, for me, it means a lot. So it's just the happiness of seeing people enjoying life.”

The event takes place on Nov. 13 at Bingemans from 12 to 11:30 p.m. Tickets must be purchased in advance.