This year’s Chile Festival logo answers New Mexico’s official question on the fiery side, but don’t let the poster fool you. Green chile season is the reason for the festivities. (Photo: Courtesy New Mexico Magazine)
A Las Cruces Digest Report
Source: Hatch Chile Festival (via Facebook)
The Hatch Chile Festival has celebrated the local harvest for more than fifty years, and it has evolved numerous times as eras, cultures and communities have evolved over the past half-decade. In the seventies, the celebration included square dances and community-driven events. There was no way to know back then that it would become a bucket-list destination for chileheads all over the world. One produce manager at a local grocery store in Virginia made not bones about it: “When I retire, I want to go to Hatch.”
This year’s lineup does not disappoint. Below, here is the contest schedule:
On the Main Stage
It’s not all about competition. The Hatch Chile Festival is a celebration, and this year, there is a whole lot to celebrate in the Hatch Valley. How better to celebrate than with music, magic and dancing. Here is the Main Stage schedule for this year’s festival:
A Local Video Blog (from 2022)
A (Very) Brief History of New Mexico Chile
What makes New Mexico green chile so special? The unique growing conditions of the Land of Enchantment contribute to the peppers’ unique flavor profile.
Source: New Mexico Department of Agriculture
Aside from the seeds themselves, New Mexico’s soil, water used for irrigation, hot temperatures during the day and cooler temperatures at nighttime are perfect for these peppers.
Did you know the history of New Mexico chile peppers is linked to New Mexico State University? NMSU horticulturalist and director of the Agricultural Experiment Station Dr. Fabian Garcia was the first researcher to introduce the famous chile peppers we know today. Garcia developed the first New Mexican pod type or long green New Mexican chile pepper in 1921. This chile pepper was called New Mexico No. 9 and became the standard chile variety for the next 30 years.
It All Starts with a Parade!
