Annual Pueblo Chile and Frijoles Festival returns for 31st year of immersive pepper-centric activities
Aug. 29, 2025
Photo made available by local photographers at SharePueblo.com.
Sept. 19-21 marks 31 years of a well-known Pueblo festival, featuring celebrations that extend beyond the roasted produce specialty at its center: the Colorado Chile and Frijoles Festival.
This three-day event has everything from vendors and on-site chile roasting to a full day of live performances, all taking place in Historic Downtown Pueblo and Union Avenue.
Video made available by local videographers at SharePueblo.com.
Main lineup
While the main events don’t begin until Sept. 19, the Kick-Off Party on Sept. 13 is the festival’s true beginning.
According to the festival’s website, the party takes place from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Pueblo Convention Center & Expo Hall, with a 6-7 p.m. VIP Cocktail Hour.
Colorado AllStarz, DJ Tommy V and Dustin De La Garza will perform at this event.
VIP tickets cost $35, and full VIP tables cost $350. Those interested in attending can purchase tickets by calling 719-251-8746.
On Sept. 18, the Chili & Salsa Showdown will take place at the Pueblo Convention Center.
According to Donielle Kitzman, who is the Vice President of the Pueblo Chamber of Commerce, contestants in the commercial and amateur competitions can enter a maximum of one red chili, one green chili and a salsa for judging. All of the entries must be made from scratch and follow temperature requirements.
“We have a panel of celebrity judges, and they basically choose winners in those categories for 2nd and 3rd place and they're awarded some significant dollar prizes as well as just bragging rights,” Kitzman said.
According to the official website, there is a $30 entry fee for commercial contestants and a $10 fee for amateurs. Those who want to participate must register prior to the event.
Balloon Fest will take place at 6:45 a.m. on all three festival days at the soccer fields at Langoni Park.
Photos made available by local photographers at SharePueblo.com.
Kitzman noted that the Friday morning balloon launch is more of a media event, but the rest of the weekend’s launches are for the public. Food, coffee and merchandise are available for purchase during these events.
On Sept. 19 and 20 at 7:30 p.m., Balloon Glow on the Riverwalk will take place at South Main and Alan Hamel Avenue.
Both types of balloon events are free to attend and open to the public.
Also on Friday evening, Kitzman said George Lopez will perform at Pueblo Memorial Hall.
According to Pueblo Memorial Hall’s event page, tickets start at $46.50; every ticket purchased for this stand-up event comes with entry into the festival.
More information on this event is available here.
On Sunday at 3:30 p.m., the Jalapeno eating contest will take place in the Mission Foods Entertainment Tent on Main Street and Alan Hamel, according to the festival’s website.
Photo made available by local photographers at SharePueblo.com.
This event requires registration by Sept. 12, and only 20 spaces are available. There is a $5 entry fee for those who wish to participate, and Kitzman said judges will award cash prizes.
There is also a Chihuahua & Friends Parade on Sunday, which begins at 11 a.m. on the El Pueblo History Museum Lawn.
Photos made available by local photographers at SharePueblo.com.
Kitzman describes this event as a “pretty fun” pet parade and costume contest.
“We get almost 100 chihuahuas and pets of different types, all kinds of dogs, a couple of cats [and] a pig or two,” she said.
Those who want to participate must register by Sept. 12, and a $7 registration fee is in place.
Performances and additional activities
The Chile and Frijoles Festival is a celebration of community at its core, and their list of vendors reflects local diversity, something Kitzman said is a priority when planning each year’s offerings.
“We really do try to put some thought into who's out there, what they're offering and that it's a well-rounded, diverse mix of vendors," she said.
The full list is made up of 180-200 vendors each year, and Kitzman noted that many of them are located on Union Avenue; she added that 50 of these vendors serve all types of cuisine and the rest offer local artisan goods and creative works.
Photo made available by local photographers at SharePueblo.com.
In addition to serving the Pueblo community through goods, some of the organizations with a role in the festival provide community services.
For the families in attendance, Rocky Mountain Service, Employment and Redevelopment, an organization that provides development opportunities for underserved communities, will run a Kids Corner.
Kitzman said many of the activities focus on food education, with art and dance performances mixed in. They also feature relevant booths from their clients, and Kitzman gave a boba tea station and entrepreneurial activities as past examples.
This area will feature performances on Sept. 21 and 22 every hour from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The full lineup, with everything from Mariachi to Motown acts, is available to view on the event’s website.
Kitzman said that, in total, the festival has four entertainment stages packed with more than 50 genre-spanning, music-centric events from the beginning to the end of each day.
She specifically highlighted the El Pueblo Museum History Stage, which will provide more interactive events.
“On the El Pueblo Museum History Stage, we've got folkloric dancing as well. So, we'll have a folkloric dance competition on Saturday, as well as culinary demonstrations with Pueblo Chile, and local produce and storytelling," she said.
The full performance lineup is available to view on the festival’s website.
Photo made available by local photographers at SharePueblo.com.
General ticket and event information
According to the festival’s website, there are three admission pass packages attendees can choose from: Single Day Admission, 3-Day Admission and a Family 4-Pack. More information on each package can be found here. Gate admission is also available and will cost $8.
Regarding transportation, Kitzman said free shuttles from the Midtown Parking Lot are available throughout the duration of the festival. There are also parking garage options on Main Street and a handicap parking option in the Professional Bull Riders Parking Lot, according to the festival’s website.
Kitzman comments
Kitzman shared that in recent years, the Pueblo Chamber of Commerce has seen around 100,000 people attend the festival.
She and the chamber see this festival as an acknowledgment of history, culture and community; their biggest hope is to create a safe and fun experience that attendees will want to come back to year after year.
“It's an opportunity for the Pueblo community to come together and celebrate our culture and our agriculture, in particular, and something that's unique only to Pueblo that we have, and can rally around and be proud of,” Kitzman said.
More information on this event, including maps and visitor tips, can be found on the festival’s website, as well as on the following social media platforms:
