About The Austin Chronicle Hot Sauce Festival
What began as a small hot sauce contest in 1990 has grown into one of Austin's best-known food events, drawing over 10,000 and 350 entries in peak years.
Hundreds of gallons of hot sauce are consumed and beverages are on hand to cool off the overheated. In addition to the hot sauce competition, this truly Austin food event features local restaurants, sauces for sale, cookbooks, peppers, and of course live music! Past performers at the fest include Joe King Carasco, A. Sinclair, Dale Watson, Money Chicha, Crooks, Shinyribs, Alesia Lani, Superfonicos, and many more.
Serving as a major fundraiser for the Central Texas Food Bank, The Austin Chronicle Hot Sauce Festival raised over 51,000 meals in 2020 alone, and has raised over 1 million in its 30-year history!
After taking a brief break from the in-person festivities in 2020, we're excited to bring back this beloved event for a celebration of all things spicy!
