Bienvenidos al Agave: Tequila & Mezcal Fest

Bienvenidos al Agave is a tequila and mezcal tasting festival timed to the run-up to Dia de los Muertos, and it lands at the Pico Rivera Sports Arena on Friday, October 30. If you're scanning upcoming events in Los Angeles for something that isn't another bar crawl, this one is built around a single idea: pour a lot of small batch agave spirits in one place and let people compare.

The organizer, Tequila Tasting Session, is billing it as a "Pre Dia De Los Muertos Tequila & Mezcal Festival." The flyer leans all the way into the holiday, with sugar skull figures, marigolds and strings of papel picado. Expect the decor at the arena to follow suit.

What's being poured

The headline number is 18. That's how many hand-selected tequila and mezcal brands the organizer says will be available for tasting, and all of them are described as small batch labels. That matters if your agave knowledge stops at whatever's on the rail at your local bar. Small producers tend to show more of the plant and the process, whether that's a bright, peppery blanco or a smoky espadin mezcal roasted in an earthen pit.

A good way to work the room: start with the unaged blancos and joven mezcals, then move toward the reposados and añejos once your palate has settled. Ask the people pouring where the agave was grown and how it was cooked. Most small brands love that question.

Timing and the holiday

The event starts at 6pm and runs until 11:30pm, so there's room to pace yourself. It's the Friday before the weekend of Dia de los Muertos (November 1 and 2), which makes it an easy kickoff if you're planning to hit altars, parades or cemetery celebrations in the days that follow. If you're hunting for LA events this weekend with a Dia de los Muertos angle, it's a strong pick for anyone who cares about agave.

Practical info

• When: Friday, October 30, 2026, 6pm to 11:30pm
• Where: Pico Rivera Sports Arena, 11003 Sports Arena Dr., Pico Rivera, CA 90601
• Tickets: $28.45 on Eventbrite (the flyer lists $25 before fees)
• Organizer: Tequila Tasting Session

This is a spirits tasting, so plan on bringing ID and assume it's adults only even though the listing doesn't spell out an age limit. Pico Rivera is southeast of downtown, off the 605 and the 5. Don't drive home after a night of samples. Line up a rideshare or a designated driver before you go.

For more things to do in Los Angeles, browse the food and drink events page or everything happening across Los Angeles.