The Austin Chronicle Hot Sauce Festival Is Virtual In 2020

NORTH AUSTIN, TX — The Austin Chronicle Hot Sauce Festival is back, and looking to raise funds to benefit the Central Texas Food Bank and help feed friends and neighbors in need amid the pandemic. This year's festivities will be held as a virtual experience for the safety and well-being of the community, but continues to be a highly-anticipated event for hot-sauce lovers from all around. The online festival kicks off with voting open Thursday, August 6 through Friday, August 28 and winners announced Sunday, August 30.

The small hot sauce contest began in 1990 and has grown into the largest competition of its kind and one of Austin's largest and best-known annual food events, attracting crowds as large as 10,000 strong with over 350 entries each year. The Austin Chronicle Hot Sauce Festival has served as a major fundraiser for the Central Texas Food, and raised over 95,000 meals in 2019 and 975,000 meals throughout its 29 year history.

Participants are asked to keep the tradition going from the comfort and safety of home, with the virtual festival announcing winners for commercial bottler categories, music, videos and much more. Hot Sauce Tasting Kits can be purchased to enjoy at home, and includes samplings from a variety of local bottlers, all-new Hot Sauce merch, and more!For more information, visit social media @austinchronicle and @chronevents.

For more information, including links to donate to the Central Texas Food Bank, click HERE.