A four-day Mexican food and culture festival takes over the esplanade at Puente del Rey this October, bringing together some of Madrid's most established Mexican restaurants for four days of live cooking, agave spirits and free entry on the banks of the Manzanares. Agave y Maíz runs from Friday 9 to Monday 12 October 2026, timed to the eve of Spain's Hispanidad holiday.
What it is
The festival is built around two Mexican staples: agave, distilled into tequila, mezcal, raicilla, bacanora and sotol with denominación de origen, and nixtamalized corn, the base for tacos, tostadas and tamales. Nothing here is filtered through a Tex-Mex lens; the organisers describe it as Mexican cuisine as it really is, built on product and technique rather than imported clichés.
The cooking is handled by Madrid's Sello Copil restaurants, a quality mark for authentic Mexican kitchens in the city. Confirmed names include Mazûl, Regañadientes, Los Carnales, San Angelinn and Tamal Mío, with more to be announced before the opening weekend. Alongside the food stalls and spirits bars, a stage hosts live Mexican music across all four days and a crafts market runs throughout the festival.
Agave y Maíz is one of the events built into Madrid's Hispanidad 2026 programme, which runs into 12 October across the city, and this year's edition names Zapopan, in Jalisco, as guest city.
Activities
- Live cooking from Sello Copil restaurants: tacos al pastor, tostadas, tamales and other nixtamal-based dishes
- Agave spirits bars pouring tequila, mezcal, raicilla, sotol and bacanora, plus agave cocktails
- Show cooking contest for Best Taco, Best Tostada and Best Cocktail of Madrid, cooked live on stage before the public and a jury
- Live Mexican music on the main stage across all four days
- A crafts and culture market (mercadito) running throughout the festival
- A family day on Sunday 11 October, with activities aimed at younger visitors
- The Corre en Español 10K, Sunday 11 October at 10:00, on the same esplanade but a separate, ticketed event
Why it's worth attending
Agave y Maíz brings several of Madrid's established Mexican kitchens together under one seal, competing live on stage rather than simply serving from a stall, which sets it apart from a typical food-truck market. The four-day run, free access and riverside setting make it an easy stop on a Madrid Río walk, and the Sunday programme leans family-friendly while the evenings run later for a bar-and-music crowd.
Practical info
Spirits bars close at 22:00 each day; beer and soft drinks keep pouring until the festival closes. The nearest stations are Príncipe Pío (metro lines 6 and 10, and Cercanías) and Puerta del Ángel (line 6); the organisers recommend public transport over driving. Sunday 11 October also hosts the separate Corre en Español 10K, so the esplanade is busier from mid-morning.
FAQ
What are the dates and opening hours of Agave y Maíz Festival Mexicano?
Agave y Maíz runs Friday 9 to Monday 12 October 2026 at the Puente del Rey esplanade in Madrid Río. Opening hours are 12:00 to 24:00 from Friday to Sunday, and 12:00 to 18:00 on Monday 12 October.
Do you need tickets to enter Agave y Maíz?
No. Entry to the festival is free on all four days and there is no registration or ticket to book; visitors can arrive at Puente del Rey at any point during opening hours.
Which restaurants are cooking at Agave y Maíz?
The confirmed Sello Copil restaurants are Mazûl, Regañadientes, Los Carnales, San Angelinn and Tamal Mío, with more names due to be announced before the festival opens on 9 October.
Is Agave y Maíz the same event as the Corre en Español race?
No. They share the same weekend and esplanade but are separate events with separate access: the festival is free walk-in, while the Corre en Español 10K on Sunday 11 October at 10:00 requires paid race registration.
Is Agave y Maíz suitable for children?
Yes, particularly on Sunday 11 October, which the organisers have set up as a family day with activities aimed at younger visitors; the rest of the programme runs as a general food and music festival.
