As summer cools down, the Village of Hatch heats up with the annual two-day Hatch Chile Festival celebration of its world-famous crop, attracting more than 30,000 visitors from all over the United States.
Festival goers September 4-5, 2010 can sample famed chile recipes, watch the crowning of the chile festival queen, join in a chile ristra contest or just sit back and enjoy artisans, parades, food, carnivals, contests, music and much more.
Brought to you by the Hatch Valley Chamber of Commerce, the event takes place at the Hatch Municipal Airport, one mile east of town on State Road 26. Admission is $5 per car load.
Special activities Saturday begin with the chile festival parade at 10 a.m., and include the queen coronation, a horseshoe tournament, music by Simon Balkey and the Queen’s Auction.
Special activities Sunday include more music, including the Las Cruces High School Mariachis; more contests; and more fun.
Located off I-25 between Las Cruces and Truth or Consequences, the Village of Hatch serves seven unincorporated communities with a combined population of 5,000 people. With four banks, two grocery stores, a pharmacy, a few retail stores, and a smattering of restaurants, Hatch offers all the amenities of small-town life.