As any true New Mexican will tell you, there’s hot chile and then there’s Hatch chile, and boy is it worth celebrating! This annual harvest festival in the “Chile Capital of the World” includes chile roasting, food and craft vendors, fun for the kids, a carnival, and entertainment provided by local businesses. The Hatch Chile Festival, held annually in Hatch, New Mexico, celebrates all things chile on Labor Day weekend, August 30 – September 2, 2024.
More than just a showcase for bountiful scorching peppers, the festival is an opportunity for the village of Hatch to strut its stuff with the rest of the state. It does so through business-sponsored events, such as a parade on Saturday morning and a beer and wine garden, as well as ongoing watermelon, chile and ice cream eating contests, cornhole tournaments, and chile toss contests. Of course, you’ll also want to be present when the new Chile Queen is crowned!
The Hatch Chile Festival was founded in the early 1970s to celebrate the annual chile harvest from the Hatch Valley fields. The annual festival promotes world-famous Hatch chile on Labor Day weekend, attracting over 30,000 visitors from around the U.S. and the world. Hatch chile is considered among the highest quality found in the world. Festival-goers sample chile and world-famous chile recipes.
Organized by the Hatch Valley Chamber of Commerce, in collaboration with community members, businesses and various organizations from the Hatch Valley, the festival was moved away from the airport and onto the streets of the village in 2021. This makes it easier for attendees to shop the streets of Hatch and satisfy their chile fix at local shops and restaurants, while experiencing the traditional vendors and events that have always made the Hatch Chile Festival known throughout the U.S. and the world.
The festival is free to attend, but parking is generally $10 in and around the Hatch High School, with fees going to help with festival expenses. For more information about the Hatch Chile Festival, visit the website, or call 575-267-5132.
Posted by LasCruces.com