The largest and most visited show dedicated to spicy foods and barbecue occurs every March in Albuquerque, at the Sandia Resort and Casino. You will find more than 200 booths full of products that will enliven your kitchen shelf and you will learn advice from the many professionals who come to the show each year.
It makes sense that the National Fiery Foods Show is taking place in Albuquerque. The city loves Chile and considers the chili season from mid-August to late September. You’ll find chili roasters on street corners, at farmers markets and supermarkets throughout the city and the state. We take our green chili seriously.
Vendors and demos
But the Fiery Foods show includes all kinds of chili peppers, from the little red ones to the orange habanero and everything in between. At the fair, vendors have chili in many forms, such as dry powders, hot sauces, and more. There are cooking demonstrations, chili cooking gear, cookbooks and magazines, and every type of chili seasoning you can imagine.
The barbecue is also a staple of the show. Hot and spicy, sweet and sour barbecue sauces and all their uses are demonstrated by vendors. The BBQ champions are at the fair, talking about how they make their products and how they use them.
However, the most exciting thing you will find at the show is the food. If you like spicy foods, you will find sauces, marinades, gravies, mustards, hot sauces, and more to choose from. Many vendors allow visitors to test samples before purchasing. Just be careful when choosing some of the spiciest varieties of anything. If a salesperson says a product is hot, trust him. You can try a sauce so hot that you will rush to find the nearest water source or a booth that has an antidote to pepper pain.
Yes there is one!
The 2018 show will be the 30th year that the nation’s chili heads converge to celebrate the capsule of the pepper and its many variations.
Every year there are star chefs on hand and demonstrations on topics such as grilling and smoking.
The annual Scovie Awards competition awards prizes in a variety of categories, including special barbecue chili sauce, cheese, condiments, hot sauce, meat, sweet heat, candy, jams, sandwiches and more.
Tickets
If you don’t buy your tickets ahead of time online, they can be purchased at the door, but it’s only cash. ATMs are available within the Sandia Resort and the casino. Tickets can be purchased online through Ticketmaster. Service charges can be avoided by purchasing tickets at the Sandia Casino box office.
