The Pacific Park World Taco-Eating Championship

The Pacific Park World Taco-Eating Championship

Top Major League Eating athletes will gather in Santa Monica, CA, for a new event on the national eating circuit: The Pacific Park World Taco-Eating Championship. The competition, to take place at 4:00 P.M. on National Taco Day—Thursday, October 4, 2018, at Pacific Park, 380 Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica, CA 90401. The competition will feature up to 15 Major League Eaters from across the nation.

Notably, this inaugural event takes place on “National Taco Day” and will set a new world record for the number of Pacific Park street-style carnita tacos eaten in 8 minutes.

“Pacific Park is pleased to host the inaugural World Taco Eating Contest on National Taco Day in the United States while featuring many top competitors in the Major League Eating circuit,” said Nathan Smithson, Marketing and Business Development Manager at Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier. “We are thrilled that the contest is getting so much attention and hope this will be the beginning of an annual celebration of LA’s favorite food, the humble street taco.”

The Pacific Park 2018 World Taco Eating Championship will be held at Pacific Park on the legendary Santa Monica Pier with a background featuring the world-famous Pacific Wheel Ferris wheel. Rising 130 feet above the Pacific Ocean, the Pacific Wheel has been featured in thousands of films, television shows and commercials, print and online ads and social media posts. Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier is the most Instagrammed location in Los Angeles.

“MLE is honored to celebrate National Taco Day, and all those who love tacos, with the first-ever Pacific Park taco-eating contest,” says Major League Eating emcee Sam Barclay. “We fully expect a new world record from this event.”

Top eating talent will include the #6-ranked Gideon Oji from Morrow, GA, the #8-ranked Adrian Morgan from New Orleans, LA, the #11-ranked Juan Rodriguez from Crestwood, IL, the #20-ranked Erik Denmark from Scottsdale, AZ, the #22-ranked Steve Hendry from Dixon, CA, the #29-ranked Sarah Reinecke from Seattle, WA, and the #49-ranked Mary Bowers from Beverly Hills, CA.