Hot sauce, beer, music and food? Sign us up.
Presented by The Spicy Shark, the 1st Annual New England Hot Sauce Fest will be held on Saturday July 30th, 2022 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the outdoor field behind Smuttynose Brewery in Hampton. Over 26 hot sauce companies will be serving up samples all day alongside other fun events like hot pepper and wing eating contests, and the League of Fire Reaper Challenge Record attempt by Mike Jack Eats Heat.
“This is the first of its kind event in New England,” says The Spicy Shark owner, Gabe DiSaverio. “As the owner of my own Portsmouth-based hot sauce company, I have been able to travel to hot sauce festivals all across the country the last four years, from the Chicago Hot Sauce Expo to the Fiery Food Show in Albuquerque to the New York City Hot Sauce Expo, I can promise you that there’s never been anything like this in our area. I’m so excited for my home region to experience it.”
There will be plenty to do and enjoy for everyone in the family, hot sauce and non hot sauce lovers alike. “The festival includes bouncy houses and face paint, but also award-winning beer from Smuttynose for adults,” notes DiSaverio. “It’s going to be a great atmosphere with 80s music all day, local crafters, food trucks and more. We will also have hot sauce celebrities, Bella and Dark from Heat 101 flying up from South Carolina to host the event. Mike Jack will also be coming down from Canada to try and break the League of Fire record for most Carolina Reaper peppers eaten.”
The two local environmental non-profits that are the beneficiaries of the event will also be hosting informational booths and educational activities. An avid scuba diver himself, DiSaverio stated, “The mission of The Spicy Shark is shark and ocean conservation, and I couldn’t think of two better local partners.”
Blue Ocean Society for Marine Conservation is a Portsmouth-based nonprofit organization that works to protect marine life in the Gulf of Maine. “We are excited to be a part of this event, which brings the community together and supports a healthy ocean,” said Executive Director, Jen Kennedy. “The funds raised will help us expand our programs to study local whales, clean our beaches, and teach thousands of people about the ocean in the coming year.”
Seacoast Science Center is a non-profit coastal and marine science education institution located in Odiorne Point State Park in Rye. “Being part of this high-profile event will help us share our important message about conservation,” said Chief Communications Officer, Karen Provazza. “Funds raised will support our educational programs and help us teach more people about our ocean resource and need to protect and preserve it for future generations.”
To learn more about the festival, visit newenglandhotsaucefest.com. New Hampshire Magazine is a proud sponsor of this event.
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