Admission is FREE with a donation of three non-perishable food items for the Capital Area Food Bank of Texas.
In the eighteen years since its inception, what started as a friendly contest between Austin and San Antonio has become one of the largest annual contests in the world, the Austin Chronicle Hot Sauce Festival. FREE to the public (with a donation of three healthy, non-perishable food items or a cash donation to the Capital Area Food Bank of Texas), the event draws upwards of 15,000 spectators and more than 350 entries every year. This year the Austin Chronicle Hot Sauce Festival will take place on Sunday, August 24 at Waterloo Park from 11:00am - 5:30pm.
The outstanding musical performances and culinary exhibitions are notable attractions, but the biggest draws are the salsas. More than one hundred gallons of hot sauce are consumed at the event every year. Area restaurants show off their hot and spicy foods at booths, and vendors from across the Southwest set up shop to sell hot and spicy cookbooks, fresh peppers, and chili pepper memorabilia.
The hot sauce contest has three levels of competition: individuals (homemade), restaurants, and commercial bottlers. This gives us a good chance to recognize salsas in a class by themselves. It also gives us a chance to consider salsas made fresh daily in restaurants apart from those made for grocery store shelves. The 2008 featured Hot Sauce Festival judges are some of the finest chefs in Texas!
To participate in the contest, download the entry form, fill it out, and check in at Waterloo Park between 10:30-11:30am on Sunday, Aug. 24, with one quart of your best sauce. We'll take it from there. Then join the rest of the crowd for plenty of salsa, great food, music, and the results.
If you are a commercial bottler and are interested in securing a booth, please contact Elizabeth.
For sponsorship or media inquiries please contact Erin.
Looking for a "hot" volunteer opportunity? Contact Jillian at hotsaucefest@yahoo.com for more information.
FAQ
EXPAND ALL | COLLAPSE ALL
When is it?
Sunday, August 24
What time?
11:00 am to 5:30 p.m.
Where?
Waterloo Park, 12th & Red River
How much is admission?
Admission is free, but we request that you bring 3 non-perishable food items for the Capital Area Food Bank.
Where can I park?
On the streets, in the Capital Visitor's Parking garage and the state parking garage on Trinity St. across from Waterloo Park
Can anybody enter?
Yes, there are categories for individuals and restaurants. Commercial bottler awards are determined by people's choice balloting and judging.
How much is the entry fee?
$20 per entry for individuals; $25 for restaurants; commercial bottlers must buy a booth and they are automatically a part of the judging and the people's choice award, if they want to be.
Can I enter more than one sauce?
Individuals can enter a sauce in each category or can enter as many sauces in each category as they like. Restaurants, however, can only enter 2 sauces per category. A chain restaurant may not enter under individual locations. You must pay for each entry, so two red entries would be $40 for an individual and $50 for restaurants. Commercial bottlers can have as many sauces to sample at their booth as they would like.
Can I enter the day of the event?
Yes, be at Waterloo Park between 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. (but we strongly encourage pre-registering).
How much sauce do I need to bring?
Bring one quart of each sauce in plastic disposable containers.
Who are the judges?
Chefs from around the state.
What does Special Variety mean?
Anything that isn't a red (tomato based sauce) or a green (tomatillo) sauce such as fruit based salsas, etc.
What do I get for entering?
A festival t-shirt.
What do I get if I win?
Winners receive trophies for first place and certificates for second and third places. Winners also will be announced in the Austin Chronicle. Winner status can be used in their own publicity.
Do you still need vendors?
Food vendor booths have sold out. We do not need any drink vendors.
What are the categories?
Commercial bottler categories: red, green, special variety, pepper sauce. Individual and Restaurant categories: red green, special variety, pico de gallo.
What can I bring?
Allowable Items you may bring to the park:
Collapsible lawn chairs
Blankets
A minimum of three food items for the Capital Area Food Bank
Prohibited Items:
Coolers of any type
Dogs
Weapons
Glass Containers
Alcoholic Beverages
Non-collapsible chairs
What bus routes will get me to the park?
Route 7 (Duval/Dove Springs - service every 30-35 minutes on Sunday)
Route 10 (South First/Red River - service every 30 minutes on Sunday)
Route 20 (Manor Road/Riverside - service every 30 minutes on Sunday)
Capital Metro has more than a dozen ways to get you to the Hot Sauce Festival. All will drop you off within a block of the park! After all the sauce and sun, Capital Metro is a great way to chill out and make it home safely.
