Pupusas for the People: Pupusa Day Celebration

El Salvador’s national holiday, National Pupusa Day, is November 12th, and El Tamarindo, DC’s home for National Pupusa Day, plans to make this year’s celebrations the most exciting and impactful yet—it will be a huge celebration of Salvadoran food and culture, and a chance for DC to celebrate one of its most important expatriate communities—we’re calling it Pupusas for the People.

As you may know, DC has one of the biggest Salvadoran communities outside of El Salvador, and El Tamarindo (owned and run for 41 years by the Reyes family) is the spot that first brought Salvadoran food to the DC. It has long been a home—and kitchen–away from home for Salvadorans, as well as a beloved spot for late night pupusas, tacos, and more for 20-somethings in DC.  

This year El Tamarindo will bring the community together through live music, food demos, dance performances, and more. They’ve also teamed up with 4 local chefs to put their unique spins on traditional pupusas and they will be serving them up during pupusa week, with a portion of sales donated to Hope Center for Wellness. The day promises to be packed with fun, but even more importantly, tells the story of how a DC institution, El Tamarindo, continues to unite people of all cultures through the humble and beloved pupusa.

The big celebration, Pupusas for the People, is on Sunday, November 12th at El Tamarindo from 10 AM – 11 PM (outdoor festivities from 10 – 5) with:

• All-you-can-eat pupusa passes for $25--and the option to add all you can drink cocktails for $20
• Pupusas cooked on the griddle all day on their outdoor tented patio 
• Pupusa workshops
• Cultural performances 
• Interactive Latin dance performances
• Salvadoran artisan market
• Chef collaborations
• Salvadoran rum tasting with woman-owned Cihuatan rum
• Kids Activities

Also, during Pupusa Week, from November 6 – 12th, and on National Pupusa Day, El Tamarindo will offer specialty pupusas created by some of DC’s hottest chefs: 

• Chef Masako Morishita, Executive Chef, Perry’s, teriyaki chicken pupusa;
• Chef Elias Taddesse, owner and Executive Chef, Doro Soul Food and Mélange Burger, spicy chicken doro wat pupusa with berbere sauce and turmeric slaw;
• Chef Daniela Moriera, Call Your Mother and Timber Pizza, Brisket and pastrami pupusa with sofrito, served with curtido, a cabbage slaw and spicy red pepper relish;
• Chef Doron Petersan, Executive Chef and owner, Sticky Fingers Sweets & Eats, mushroom and chevre vegan pupusa