Central Texans got a pleasant break from the usual August heat on an overcast Sunday at Fiesta Gardens. The occasional drizzle of rain didn't stop hot sauce fans from attending the 26th annual Austin Chronicle Hot Sauce Festival, and was a welcome way to cool down for those sampling some of the hottest flavors.
While the big draw is, of course, the wide variety of flavorful sauces, the food trucks, live music, and the Food Bank's annual raffle all pitch in to make this one of Austin's most popular summer events. This year, avid hot sauce aficionados donated food, funds, and purchased raffle tickets totalling nearly 58,000 meals for their Central Texas neighbors in need.
Thank you to the Austin Chronicle for hosting this great festival that has benefited the Food Bank for more than two decades, and to our volunteers for making this event possible. And, of course, thank you to everyone who came out. Whether you donated food or cash, bought raffle tickets or merchandise, your support means we can be there for our neighbors when they need us most.
You can view the 2016 Austin Chronicle Hot Sauce Festival contest winners online here. Caution: the contents of this list are extremely hot.
