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18th Annual Roasted Chile Festival with Heirloom Farmers Markets

18th Annual Roasted Chile Festival with Heirloom Farmers Markets

Matt SternerMatt Sterner
Aug 27, 20192 min read

Heirloom Farmers Markets is heating up multiple spots around town with their 18th Annual Roasted Chile Festival taking place Wednesday, September 18 through Sunday, September 22.

Each and every year, the Roasted Chile Festival focuses on locally grown chiles, proving that Arizona can compete with the big guys in New Mexico.

“A lot of farmers grow New Mexico chile varieties just because people are already familiar with them, but Arizona chile have a lot more clout,” says Aaron Cardona of Arevalos Farm.

It’s practically the biggest chile festival in Tucson and the smell of fresh roasted chile, family-friendly activities, and live music stretch over four days.

Photo Courtesy of Heirloom Farmers Markets
Photo Courtesy of Heirloom Farmers Markets

To start things off and really get things heated, the Green Valley Village Farmers & Artisans Market,  Trail Dust Town, and Oro Valley Farmers Market will be roasting and offering chile-themed specials from several regular vendors.

After that, the larger “Grande Chile Festival” will take over the Rincon Valley Farmers and Artisans Market and Rillito Park Farmers Market.

Annual Roasted Chile Festival Schedule

Wednesday, September 18 from 8 a.m. – noon
  • Green Valley Village Farmers & Artisans Market – 101 S. La Cañada Dr., Green Valley, AZ
    • Live music from Gabriel Francisco
    • Fresh roasted chile and specialties
    • More than 40 vendors
Friday, September 20 from 8 a.m. – noon
  • Trail Dust Town Farmers Market – 6541 E. Tanque Verde Rd.
    • Live Music (TBA)
    • Fresh roasted chile and specialties
    • Chile-themed specials
    • At least 15 vendors
Saturday, September 21 from 8 a.m. – noon
  • Oro Valley Farmers Market – 10901 N. Oracle Rd., Oro Valley, AZ
    • Live Music (TBA)
    • Fresh roasted chile and specialties
    • More than 40 vendors

Photo Courtesy of Heirloom Farmers Markets
Photo Courtesy of Heirloom Farmers Markets

Saturday, September 21 from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. (Grande Chile Festival)
  • Rincon Valley Farmers & Artisans Market – 12500 E. Old Spanish Trail
    • Live music by Salvador Duran, Cadillac Mountain, Southbound Pilot, Roman Barten-Sherman, Rudy Cortese, and Damon McLaughlin
    • Beer and margarita garden
    • Family Fun Hub, which includes a Petting Zoo, Pony Rides, Taste of the Market, Face Painting, and other activities
    • Fresh roasted chile and specialties
    • “Free Veggie Valet” that lets you drop off your fresh veggies at the valet and continue to experience the festival
    • More than 60 vendors
Sunday, September 22 from 8 a.m. – noon (Grande Chile Festival)
  • Rillito Park Farmers Market – 4502 N. First Ave.
    • Live Music by Mariachi Estrellas de Tucson
    • “Chef at the Market” will feature the 2019 Iron Chef Tucson Winner, Wendy Gauthier of Chef Chic
    • Taste of the Market Activity
    • Fresh roasted chile and specialties
    • Chile-themed specials
    • More than 80 vendors

If you can’t wait any longer and need your chiles pronto, Red’s Roasters is taking pre-orders now until Monday, September 16. Call (520) 409-3406 to place an order.

For more Annual Roasted Chile Festival information, including days, times, and locations visit heirloomfm.org.

Article written by:

Matt Sterner

Matt Sterner

More about Matt

At a very young age, Matt Sterner was gifted with the artistic ability to masterfully roll a burrito to the highest of standards, but the wrapped medley of delicious innards wasn’t his first love. Matt’s first true love was a combination of reading, writing, and creating. He grew up reading comics, the ingredients list of his shampoo and conditioner bottles, choose-your-own-adventure books, and the Scrabble dictionary — something he found useful when challenging his grandmother to a game.

He attended college at New Mexico State University and graduated with a degree in Digital Filmmaking. One of his favorite classes was screenwriting because he became responsible for the story’s birth before it came to life on-screen. After school, Matt took on numerous positions at a local television station in Tucson. From dealing out stories about heartbreak to producing “fluffier” content for a lifestyle broadcast, he learned what it takes to adapt to the many emotions the world of media can stir. Since 2017, Matt has dabbled in the culinary world of Tucson as well as San Diego, California from time to time.

If you’re in the mood for strange stories, head over to his pride and joy, wonkytimes.com. And in case you’re curious — yes, after all of this time, he still manages to roll a killer burrito.

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