Big Papi’s — Real Good Tacos operated a tent at the 2026 Great Frederick Fair after co-owner Carlos Jimenez spent four years seeking a place there, the Frederick News-Post reported. The fair’s vendor information describes a general process in which concession and commercial spaces are sold by the running front foot and businesses can request space; it does not explain how Big Papi’s was selected, according to the fair.
The fair is a substantial local market, though the available figures are not a final count for this year. The Great Frederick Fair says it averages 230,000 visitors over its nine-day event. Separately, PredictHQ forecast 225,000 attendees and $21.7 million in event spending for the 2026 fair; those are projections, not reported results, according to its event listing.
The tent is one step in a business that began with a storefront near Frederick. The MoCo Show reported that co-owners Jimenez and Victor Alvarez opened it in December 2020, after pandemic disruptions to their work as professional DJs led them into the restaurant business. Big Papi’s menu includes quesabirria tacos and options featuring rockfish, shrimp and vegan chorizo, according to Store Reporter. The business’s Facebook page lists Frederick, Hagerstown, Rockville and Alexandria among its locations.
Jimenez told the paper he expected the company to grow to about 100 employees within the next few months; that is a stated expectation, not a confirmed staffing total.
The business’s start also falls within a period when Frederick County was offering pandemic-related aid to restaurants. On April 29, 2021, the county announced $4.3 million in grants across several programs, including $877,322 for restaurants and other eating establishments. The announcement provides local economic context, but does not say whether Big Papi’s received a grant, according to the county’s notice.
