New England Hot Sauce Fest Brings the Heat to New Hampshire for a Third Year
Hot sauce, beer, music and food? Sign us up!
Presented by The Spicy Shark, the third annual New England Hot Sauce Fest will be held on Saturday, July 27, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the outdoor field behind Smuttynose Brewing Co. in Hampton. Over 35 hot sauce companies plan to serve up samples all day alongside other fun events like hot pepper and wing eating contests, Seacoast vendors and artisans peddling their wares, food trucks serving local grub and much more.
Gabe DiSaverio, festival director and owner of Portsmouth-based hot sauce company The Spicy Shark, says that he couldn’t be more excited for the festival’s third year.
“After traveling the country participating in countless hot sauce events, I wanted to bring New England this first of its kind event in 2022, with a family friendly focus. We wanted to support all the amazing Northeast Hot Sauce companies that are not as well known, and to help show that New England is indeed becoming a spicy region with incredible craft heat,” says DiSaverio.
“We are grateful that the region has embraced what we’ve created, and hope many come back to enjoy our 3rd annual.”
Including bouncy houses and face painting, food trucks, magic shows, Bella and Dark from Heat 101 (a popular hot sauce review YouTube channel) returning as event MCs, and, of course, beer from Smuttynose Brewing Co., the day offers something for attendees of all ages. Attendees can also partake in food challenges, including hot pepper eating contests and a hot wing contest that will test their endurance and taste buds.
The main event of the festival will feature hot sauce celebrities from the USA and Canada, who will compete against each other in a timed Carolina Reaper pepper eating contest. This high-stakes challenge involves blistering hot Carolina Reaper peppers created and grown by esteemed challenge sponsor and creator of the Carolina Reaper pepper, Ed Currie of Puckerbutt Pepper Co.
DiSaverio, an active scuba diver, plans on once again giving proceeds from the event to the Blue Ocean Society and Seacoast Science Center. The two environmental non-profits will host information booths and education activities at the event. “The mission of The Spicy Shark is shark and ocean conservation,” DiSaverio says, “and I couldn’t think of two better local partners.”
Blue Ocean Society for Marine Conservation is a Portsmouth-based non-profit organization that works to protect marine life in the Gulf of Maine. “The funds raised at the event 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,” says Jen Kennedy, executive director of the non-profit. Meanwhile, Seacoast Science Center, a non-profit coastal and marine science education institution, hunkers down at Odiorne Point State Park in Rye. “Being part of this high-profile event will help us share our important message about conservation,” says Karen Provazza, chief communications officer. “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.