Mayor Martin J.  Chávez announced that on Saturday,  August 16,  Old Town’s 4th Annual Salsa Fiesta will be bigger and better with an expanded competition, more activities, more entertainment and an “arts crawl” that will wind east on Mountain Road.
 
“A Hot Time in Old Town” will be hotter than ever with the traditional “Best Salsa” competition. Eligible to enter are all area companies, including restaurants, which manufacture and/or sell salsas. Three categories—hot, medium and specialty—will be judged both by an expert panel and by the public attending the event. This year for the first time companies may also include chile sauces and hot sauces in their displays and invite consumers to “taste-test” and purchase those products, too.
 
In years past the entrants were placed in several different areas of Old Town, but this year they will all be featured in a large tent located in the parking lot behind La Hacienda Restaurant. For the first time, companies wishing to expose their “hot” foods to visitors have the option of doing so without entering the competition. The cost for a 10’ booth, complete with table and chairs, is $100.00.
 
The event will open at 2:00 p.m. with live music at the Gazebo and other locations throughout the Old Town area. Great entertainment for kids is planned—face painting, music and dance and more. Visitors of all ages will have the opportunity to taste and compare dozens of salsas, chile and hot sauces, as well as enjoy  lots of delicious foods, the wonderful aroma of chile roasting and discounts from participating merchants.
 
One very popular feature from last year, a wine tasting, will be expanded to additional locations throughout Old Town this year. Plans are underway to include several area wineries.

Tiguex Park will be the site of more activities for kids and grownups alike, and all along Mountain Road art galleries will welcome visitors to an expanded “arts crawl.” Live music and delicious foods will be available throughout the entire area. A special film, “Viva New Mexico” will be shown at the Natural History Museum’s Amphitheater.

The competition and booths will shut down about 7:00 p.m. when live entertainment takes the Gazebo stage to bring a different kind of “hot” salsa to the crowd. The event ends at 9:00 p.m. and promises to leave the crowd still moving to the salsa beat!
 
Companies interested in learning more about participating in the competition or exhibiting at the event can contact Isabelle Zamora at 505-768-3538 or izamora@cabq.gov for more information and an application.
 
The event is presented by Mayor Martin J. Chávez, the City of Albuquerque’s Cultural Services Department, and the Old Town Merchants Association. Sponsors to date include Comcast and American General Media.
 
For additional information, call 311 or visit www.cabq.gov. For accessibility, call Relay NM 1-800-659-8331 or 711.