Party With A Purpose
TacoMania • October 9th at the Rusty Rudder
The Ultimate Taco + Margarita Throwdown in the 302 on October 9th
Time: VIP HOUR 5:00 • Event 6:00-8:30
Location: The Rusty Rudder, Dewey Beach
TacoMania is not your average food festival. It’s an all-out banger celebration of flavor, creativity, and community spirit—brought to life by the best chefs, bartenders, and artists in the region.
Each year, over 25 of your favorite local restaurants and mixologists compete head-to-head in the ultimate taco and margarita competition. You sample. You vote. You decide who takes home the crown.
From unforgettable bites and bold drinks to original artwork and live music, TacoMania brings it all—right to the heart of Dewey Beach.
What to expect:
Live music by Hot Sauce Band, DJ JY on the mic, and high-energy vibes
Taco and margarita tastings from 25+ local restaurants and bars
The Skull Show: a silent auction of 30 original ceramic skulls.
A stunning sunset over the bay at the iconic Rusty Rudder (free parking in Dewey Beach)
Your vote is helping crown this year’s TacoMania champions!!
Choose Your Flavor of Access
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VIP Access – $100 Donation
For the true TacoMania superfan.
Exclusive 1-hour early entry starting at 5:00 PM
Unlimited taco + margarita tastings from 25+ restaurants
Complimentary tequila tasting featuring premium tequilas
Thank-you gift for VIP guests
VIP access continues through the end of the event
Only 100 VIP tickets available
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General Admission – $75 Donation
GA TICKETS DISCOUNTED TO $69 UNTIL AUGUST 31 - SALE ENDED!
Great taste. Great cause. Great night.
Entry at 6:00 PM
Unlimited taco + margarita tastings from 25+ local restaurants and bars
Full access to the event, including live music and the Skull Show
Why TacoMania
Matters
This isn’t just a party—it’s the Developing Artist Collaboration’s only annual fundraiser. Every ticket helps us invest in creating spaces, programs, and opportunities that transform not only the lives of artists, but the culture and economy of the entire community.
When artists thrive, everyone benefits. A strong creative community means stronger local businesses, deeper connection, and a more vibrant, inclusive place to live.
We’re not here to make art for art’s sake—we’re here to build something that elevates all of us.
That’s why TacoMania matters. Your support doesn’t just fund programs—it fuels a movement.
Join us. Help power the future of our creative community.
Our TacoMania Partners
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Rusty Rudder & Highway One
Thanks to the generosity of our friends at Highway One (they donate the venue to us!!), TacoMania tis proudly honestly by the Rusty Rudder in Dewey Beach! More space, more competitors, and the best vibe on the beach.
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Corralejo & Breakthru Beverage
Did you know ALL of the tequila for this event is donated? Big thanks to Breakthru Beverage and the incredible Corralejo tequila brand for making our margarita dreams come true, year after year.
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DJ JY
Jimmy Young, our hero. He has donated his DJ services all 9 years of TacoMania! Go say hi to him at Nalu, and hire him to be your DJ!!
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MF Heat Co
We are so grateful to have MF Heat Co. as a sponsor of the 2025 TacoMania! They developed a signature bottle of hot sauce that is a thank you gift to all of our VIP ticket holders.
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Dewey Beach Lion's Club
We are beyond grateful for an investment by the Dewey Beach Lion’s Club for this year’s TacoMania event! The Dewey Beach Lion’s Club has been a longtime supporter of the DAC, we are grateful for their investment.
2024 Best Taco Shore Island
2024 Best Margarita Agave Rehoboth
2024 Best Skull Creation Mary Yeagley Bower
Have some questions
about TacoMania?
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• Refund Policy: We are happy to give refunds for your ticket if you can't make the event. There will be a $5 processing fee per ticket. There will be no refunds within 7 days of the event. We do not honor tickets that have been resold, please reach out to us if you have questions hello@developingarts.org
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This is not a kid friendly event, please call a sitter for this one. We do NOT allow guests under 21. We are sorry, but we are unable to monitor underage drinking so please do not buy a ticket for anyone under 21.
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Many of our competitors offer tacos where the protein can be optional. There are plenty of margaritas to enjoy, and there are usually many restaurants that can modify your sample.
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YES! You still get to enjoy all of the tacos PLUS many restaurants can modify your sample in some cases to not have alcohol in it. There are NA options at the bar for purchase.
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No, we are offering a discount on tickets this year for the month of August! This is our only fundraiser, so we really appreciate your investment!
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We set up our skull auction on the same platform that you purchase your ticket. You can easily bid on a skull until the auction ends at 8:00PM prior to the awards so you can take it home with you. If you leave early and you bid on a skull and win, we can arrange skull pickup after the event.
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We invite competitors due to limited space, but please reach out to us. We love to welcome new competitors events@developingarts.org!
Our Other 2024 Winners
2nd Place Best Margarita- Bluecoast Rehoboth & Frios Gourmet Popsicles
3rd Place Best Margarita - Somewhere Rehoboth
Best Rim Job - Thompson Island
Most Creative Taco: Stingray
2nd Place Best Taco- Bluecoast Rehoboth
3rd Place Best Taco - Stingray Rehoboth
Best Team Spirit - Pink Pony at Bramble & Brine
Check Out the 2024
Skull Gallery
Our DAC Artists turn ceramic skulls into stunning, one-of-a-kind artworks for TacoMania’s Skull Silent Auction. Each piece showcases their talent and helps raise funds for DAC’s artist development programs.
All proceeds go directly to support artist mentorship, education, and career growth. The top-voted skull wins $500 in career development services from DAC.
Thanks to our amazing artists, the 2024 auction raised over $4,000 to fuel our mission.
2024 Best in Show:
“Coral Calavera” by Mary Yeagley Bower
Check out the full 2024 Skull Galleria below.
