ZestFest Fiery Food Festival 2026

Produced by Spicy Food Productions, ZestFest is an indoor winter haven for heat seekers. It showcases thousands of zesty condiments, spicy barbecue sauces, rubs, marinades, salsas, and extreme extracts. The weekend is anchored by the Fiery Food Challenge, one of the oldest and most competitive blind-tasted competitions in the industry, awarding the coveted Golden Chile statuettes. Celebrity chef demonstrations, wing eating contests, and atomic jalapeño challenges draw enthusiasts from across the globe.

Key Festival Highlights:

• The prestigious Fiery Food Challenge Golden Chile award ceremonies
• Atomic Wing eating challenges on the main entertainment stage
• Live culinary stage demonstrations with celebrity barbecue pitmasters and chefs
• Hundreds of artisan vendors sampling fiery sweets, spicy jerky, and gourmet hot sauces

Navigating dozens of artisan hot sauce tables and fiery food stands requires tactical preparation:

• The indoor convention floor makes this an all-weather event, perfect for winter visits.
• Take advantage of multi-bottle vendor bundle discounts when stocking your pantry.
• Keep a notebook or phone log of your favorite booth numbers for easy return purchasing.
• Capsaicin relief: Water alone does not dissolve capsaicin oils. Grab whole milk, ice cream, or dairy cheese from vendors if a sample overwhelms you. Read our scientific guide on what stops chilli burn.
• Eye safety: Never rub your eyes after handling sample cups or toothpicks. If accidental contact happens, check our emergency eye flush timer & protocol.