22nd Annual Roasted Chile Festival Returning to Tucson Next Weekend

Get your spice on at the Roasted Chile festival.Photo byViktor ForgacsonUnsplash

If you are a sucker for fresh chile peppers and you don’t feel like pulling off on the side of the road to buy from a roadside vendor, there’s good news, because the 22nd Annual Roasted Chile Festival is coming back to Tucson. Packed with all things chile, you’ll be able to stock up, eat up, and party down with all of the activities and food-based events taking place over the three-day weekend. 

The 22nd Annual Roasted Chile Festival kicks off on Friday, September 13 at 8 AM inside the Udall Park Farmers Market (7202 East Tanque Verde Road). Throughout the morning you’ll be able to stop by well over 40 vendors, take in Maria’s Ristras, kick back and relax to live music. There will also be fresh roasted chiles and other specialties on hand for the first day. Whether you’ve been waiting for the Hatch chilies to make an appearance or you want to try every pepper you cross paths with, Friday is a good day to start.

On Saturday, September 14, the festival moves locations to the Rincon Valley Farmers & Artisans Market (12500 East Old Spanish Trail). For day two, the number of vendors increases to over 60, and not only will you be able to enjoy similar activities, plus live music, but there will be face painting (don’t worry, the paint is chile-free), and tasting activities around the market. So, if you’re eyeballing a particular sauce or chile but you’re not sure if it’s right for your particular needs, you’ll be in luck. 

The biggest day of the weekend though is Sunday. Once again, the festival moves over to the Rillito Park Farmers Market (4502 North 1st Avenue). While it will also run in the morning from 8 AM until 12 PM, the number of vendors increases to nearly 100. Live music will include a mariachi band playing from 9 until 11, so if you can’t get enough of classic mariachi music, make sure to stop by. There will also be tasting options, not to mention the largest selection of local chiles. 

Now, the Hatch peppers do sell out quickly. So, if you don’t feel like hopping into the car and making a road trip east to New Mexico, you’ll want to pre-order your Hatch chilies from Red’s Roasters. You can then pick up your order at any one of the three days. 

The event is put on by the Heirloom Farmers Market, a non-profit organization operating five farmers markets around Southern Arizona with a mission to educate, connect, and empower the local community by bringing foods and connecdting with local food producers.