Fiery Fun: California Hot Sauce Expo

Prepare yourself for the caliente cocktail competition and the Spicy Pizza of Doom.

ASK ANY PEPPER-OBSESSED PERSON... what the perfect time of year and/or the month and/or day it is to consume a potent amount of capsaicin-based deliciousness, and you can just bet they'll glance at their watch and quip "right now" (or something equally as sassy). For it matters not if there's a chill wind blowing outside, or if the mercury has pushed into the 100s, people who dig spicy eats are going to consume spicy eats. In fact, several summery classics, from picnic salsas to spicy-saucy grilled meats, shimmer with heat in the heat of the year, further proving that there is no downtime taken when you're devoted to the kickiest of cuisines. If the mere thought of this all has you reaching for your nearly empty hot sauce bottle, well, feel free to empty it, if that's your preference, for you'll soon have another place to stock up: The 3rd Annual California Hot Sauce Expo, which will bring the tongue-testing foods to City National Grove of Anaheim on Saturday, Aug. 19 and Sunday, Aug. 20.

TICKETS ARE NOW ON SALE... for the fiery festival, so secure your entry should you want to witness The Guinness Book of World Records Reaper Pepper Eating Contest or The Spicy Pizza of Doom. There's a craft cocktail showdown (yep, bet those are not, repeat, are not cool-down libations) and a burrito competition, too. As for purchasing the piquant stuff to take home? You'll be able to shop among 40-plus vendors who have all taken a creative road to their zestful condiments. If summer is absolutely your prime time for kicky, ratchet-up-the-heat eats, then be in Anaheim for some hot-sauce'd high jinks over what's traditionally one of the toastiest weekends of the SoCal summer.

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