Like tacos? This fiery food event will have plenty to eat or you could even compete
Pasco’s iconic Fiery Foods Festival returns with a spicy punch on Sept. 14 at Peanuts Park.
Highlights include a pepper-eating contest between local VIPs, plus a new separate contest that’s open to the public.
Up to 10 participants will compete in the community pepper-eating contest. Anyone interested can complete the online form.
There also will be a taco-eating contest with tacos provided by a local Pasco restaurant.
Leading up to the festival this year is the Pepper Pack Journey, a citywide, social media-fueled trading card scavenger hunt. There are 10 each of five limited edition trading cards with clues on the city’s social media for how to find them.
The series was created by local artist and city employee Ciccone Sanchez.
So far, the cards have been given out at Cafe con Arte and the Pasco Farmers Market, among other locations.
Pasco recreation manager Brent Kubalek told the Herald this week that the city expects more than 30 vendors at the event. Vendor registration is open through Aug. 29.
All food vendors are encouraged to serve at least one item on their menu that brings the heat, including spicy tacos, fruit sprinkled with Tajín seasoning and even spicy lemonade.
Attendance this year should exceed 2023 numbers with more than 5,700.
Last year’s showing was a huge uptick from 4,800 attendees in 2022.
The festival also will include food trucks, live music performances, pony rides and a Kids Zone.
Fiery history
When the celebration began in 1984, it was known as the Pasco Autumn Festival. The name was later changed to become more inclusive.
The Downtown Pasco Development Authority was formed in 2010 and took over organizing the festival from 2011 to 2022.
The city stepped in to run the event starting in 2023.
The DPDA was then dissolved in April 2024. It was intended to lead downtown revitalization but had fallen into repeated controversies and financial issues in recent years.
“Planning by the city has gone fairly well,” Kubalek said. “We’re moving forward. We’re still learning and trying to build up the event.”
The Fiery Foods Festival is at 11 a.m.-7 p.m on Sept. 14.
