Top Ten Hot Sauce Festivals in The World

Top Ten Hot Sauce Festivals in The World

Hola!

This week we will be discussing some of the best hot sauce festivals around the world. We will be basing our list on the following: number of vendors, attendance, contests, kid friendliness, food and entertainment.

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Have you ever been to a hot sauce festival? They have really taken off in the last couple of decades. We haven't been to as many as we would like, but we are pretty lucky to live in Buffalo-chicken wing capital of the world! So, without further ado...

 

The Top Ten Hot Sauce Festivals in The World

 

10. Herb and Chili Fest - Melbourne, Australia
Dates TBD
Everyone gets an online Herb/Chilli Growing course (TBC) and everyone who buys a ticket gets a free plant. They also have four stages (Speakers, Buskers, Cooking & Entertainment) running from both days. There are free activities for the kids including Jumping Castles, Face Painting, Pony Rides and an Animal Farm and 70+ stalls selling food and other products and providing information.
9. Dutch Chili Fest - Eindhoven, Netherlands
Dates TBD
The Dutch Chile Fest is the only Dutch festival that entirely is dedicated to the chili. The first edition in 2012 attracted 3000 visitors and upwards of 6,500 in 2015. The vendors offer a variety of products with chilies and there is a swap meet as well. Visitors can participate or be a spectator at the hottest hamburger contest, chili con carne cook-off and a chili and hot sauce contest. An exhibition informs the public about the chilies in the broadest sense of the word, there is opportunity to follow workshops, caterers and a bbq corner. Bands and DJs provide the musical entertainment. Admission is free.
8. NYC Hot Sauce Expo - New York, NY USA
Dates TBD
With over 50 vendors, the NYC Hot Sauce Expo is committed to bring the BEST Artisan Hot Sauce Makers from around the World. They have had companies representing from Canada, Mexico, Panama and as far as New Zealand. Meet the sauce makers, experience hot sauce tastings and celebrate all things spicy.
7. Chilli FiestaChichester, West Sussex, England
August 11-13, 2017
The UK's biggest chili festival returns. Join the party and dance to live Latin music, watch cookery and gardening demonstrations and taste delicious chili foods until your tongue sizzles. Make the most of the family-friendly festival atmosphere and camp onsite!
6. The National Buffalo Wing Festival - Buffalo, NY USA
Sept 2-3, 2017
In 2012 we entered our sauce in a National Buffalo Wing Fest Competition and won FIRST PLACE! Our friends and family loved our sauce so much that we decided to enter our sauce again in 2013, and again, we won FIRST PLACE! The National Buffalo Wing Festival is currently in its 16th year. It is recognized as one of the best in the country. In 2015, the festival drew over 70,000 people. Over the last 10+ years, the festival has drawn more than 795,000 people and served over 4.2 million wings. The festival, which also supports local charities, has donated more than $325,000 since its inception.
5. National Fiery Foods Show - Albuquerque, New Mexico USA
March 3-5, 2017
There’s no better place to satisfy your craving for flavor and fire. You can sample everything from blazing BBQ to super hot salsa to mild and savory marinades and rubs, even sweet heat desserts!  Wander from booth to booth tasting, enjoying the fun energy, talking with exhibitors, and hobnobbing with fellow chileheads.
4. Arizona Hot Sauce Expo - Tempe, Arizona, USA
Dates TBD
Arizona’s own Heartbreaking Dawns and High River Sauces proudly presents the world's most distinguished Hot Sauce event this side of the Mississippi. The AZ Hot Sauce Expo will feature 45 artisanal Hot Sauce companies locally sourced in AZ and other cities across the United States. Witness the action packed event with free Hot Sauce Tastings from each vendor, Eating Challenges on the main stage, Spicy Food Vendors, Craft Beers and plenty of odd ball Entertainment Fun for the whole family!
3. Louisiana Hot Sauce Expo - Lafayette, Louisiana USA
Dates TBD
A celebration of Hot Sauce and Spicy foods that promotes the Louisiana Hot Sauce Industry by encouraging the use of Hot Sauce in cooking. Multiple cooking contests and demonstrations during the weekend long event and highlighting both small and large Hot Sauce manufacturers products lines by sampling opportunities to the public during the Expo.
2. Chilifest Finland - Tampere, Finland
Dates TBD
At this the event you will find many chili products and foods and, in addition, many experts and all kinds of chili cooking and grilling tips. This year they also extended the tasting and drinks on the Chilifest Finland side while in the warehouse you can explore different microbrews. The event is organized by the Chamber of Culture, in cooperation with Oy Oy and the witch doctor, Tampere Finland Chili Association.
1. Austin Chronicle Hot Sauce Festival - Austin, Texas USA
Dates TBD
The Austin Hot Sauce Festival is a huge gathering of people who want to feel the burn. Each year, more than 15,000 people flock to Fiesta Gardens to try as many different types of sauce as they can during this one-day event. More than 350 varieties of hot sauce are represented. You can also expect to find plenty of food at this event. Beyond the sauce and the food, the festival includes live music as well as entertainment for the whole family. Bands from many genres fill the roster and get the people moving after they’ve had their fill of heat. The festival is free to the public, but organizers ask that they bring nonperishable food to benefit the Capital Area Food Bank of Texas. The food bank is the primary charity for the event which, in the past, has been able to serve more than 40,000 meals just from the donations at the festival alone.

Have you attended any of these festivals before? Leave a comment letting us know what you thought!

Check back next week when we discuss in depth:  The Top Ten Hottest Peppers

Happy Eating!

-The HBH Team

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