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Sep
25
Sunday
Sep
25
Sun
Special Events :: Fairs & Festivals
Chile & Frijoles Festival presented by Loaf ‘N Jug
10:00 AM
Union Avenue between City Center Drive and B Street
Description:
The fragrant jewel of fall, the Chile & Frijoles Festival presented by Loaf 'N Jug, returns Friday for the 22nd year.
Over the span of three days -- and more than 100,000 visitors -- the Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce-created festival celebrates the harvest of the Pueblo Chile, the star of the Mesa.
With fired-up roasters giving peppers even more flavor, the accompanying zesty aroma has become synonymous with the festival, which once again takes place on Union Avenue between City Center Drive and B Street starting at 3 p.m. Friday and continuing until midnight.
Festival hours on Saturday are 3 p.m. to midnight and on Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The focal point of the homegrown goodness is the Rusler Produce Frijoles Farmers Market, on Grand Avenue between Union and Victoria avenues.
Here, in addition to the city's namesake chile, buyers can choose from a bevy of farm-fresh goods, including yellow wax peppers, sweet and hot Anaheims and jalapenos, as well as a variety of beans and other tasty items.
Last year, area farmers sold as much as $50,000 worth of chiles.
Along Union Avenue, an array of vendors will offer everything from jewelry to clothing to sweet treats, with information booths and other attractions also slated.
With five entertainment tents hosting homegrown musical acts all three days, visitors will have an array of styles, from rock to country to Spanish to folk, to choose from.
This year's entertainment hot spots are the Pueblo Toyota Entertainment Tent (City Center Drive-Union Avenue); Triple Crown Casinos Entertainment Tent (South Main Street-Alan Hamel Drive); Pueblo Arts Alliance Entertainment Tent (City Center Drive-Grand Avenue); Pueblo Dodge, Chrysler Jeep RAM Entertainment Tent (D Street-Union Avenue); and the Pueblo Chile Growers Association Entertainment Tent (C Street-Union Avenue.)
A centerpiece of the festival is Chili & Salsa Showdown sponsored by Black Hills Energy and held Saturday and Sunday at the Pueblo Convention Center.
Here, commercial (Saturday) and non-commercial (Sunday) entrants will vie for three levels of money prizes in red chile, green chile and salsa categories.
For more information, visit pueblochilefestivalinfo.com/events or call 542-1704.
Equally as fiery is the always popular Jalapeno Eating Contest sponsored by the Colorado Lottery. Slated to catch fire at 4 p.m. Sunday in the Pueblo Toyota Entertainment Tent, brave chompers 18 and older have the chance to turn a $1 entry fee into cash prizes, including a $100 first-place booty.
Sunday also will see the Hot to Trot run and walk depart the Gold Dust Saloon, 217 S. Union Ave., starting at 8 a.m. Call 251-3189 to learn more.
While daily festival admission for those 13 and older is $3, four people can enter two days via the $12 ME 3 pass, available at Loaf 'N Jug stores.
For those looking to beat the parking heat, the Kaiser Permanente Chile Pepper Express Shuttle Service departs the Midtown Shopping Center for the Professional Bull Riders parking lot every 15 minutes.
The shuttle will run Friday (5 p.m.-midnight), Saturday (11 a.m.-midnight) and Sunday (11 a.m.-6 p.m.)
Additionally, wheelchairs are available for rent at Gate 1 (City Center Drive and Union Avenue.)
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Age Group: All Ages
Venue: Union Avenue between City Center Drive and B Street
Address: Union Avenue between City Center Drive and B Street Pueblo, CO 81003
Phone: N/A

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