Red or green?: Bosque Chile & Music Fest returns for its 10th anniversary

Ten years ago, Bernalillo County created the Bosque Chile & Music Fest as a way to celebrate the food, art, music, culture and of course, chile, that defines New Mexico.

This year, the festival commemorates its 10th anniversary with a two-day-long celebration from 5 to 10 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 23, and 11 a.m to 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24, at Expo New Mexico’s Villa Hispana, 300 San Pedro Drive NE.

Red or green?: Bosque Chile Fest returns for its 10th anniversary

“We’re so excited because we’re going bigger and better than ever before,” said Tami Adolphe, Bernalillo County senior manager. “There will be so much to experience, from the smells to all the things you can do and enjoy.”

With chile at the center of the event, guests will have the opportunity to taste many ways chile can be used in food and drink. From the signature red chile margarita available at two onsite bars to one of 50 vendors selling items such as chile-scented candles, there is no shortage of the pepper New Mexicans have grown to love.

Ariella Gonzales Lustig, Bernalillo County events coordinator, said the festival has “intertwined chile into every aspect” to make the event fully immersive in New Mexican culture.

“Throughout the year we take note of vendors we see at events,” she said. “We were very mindful of offering our clientele a variety of unique vendors. We also want to support local artists, so there will be some selling their art and many have made specialty chile-themed pieces. We have a pottery maker who will be selling chile-themed cups and plates.”

Other vendors will sell a variety of food like wings, fair food and traditional New Mexican offerings. Chile roasters will be present to roast fresh chile and teach others about roasting. There are a variety of demonstrations scheduled to show guests how to make chile-incorporated food like green chile pecans and salsa, or decorations like chile ristras. There will be a watermelon eating contest on Saturday to give the public a chance to cool down their palates after a long day of enjoying chile.

“Everywhere you go, vendors will be passing out samples of stuff,” said Adolphe.

For people interested in learning more about chile, the New Mexico Department of Agriculture will answer visitors’ questions about the pepper. New Mexico State University’s Chile Pepper Institute will host “The Science of Spice,” teaching guests about the Scoville scale that measures the level of spice or heat in peppers. The class also will educate people on how to grow chile and provide tips on growing better chile crops.

There will be a diverse selection of activities during the event. Guests will have the chance to participate in some public art events guided by local artists.

Entertainment fans will be pleased to know there is a robust schedule of local performers during the event, from New Mexico music by Darren Cordova to bands that will sing of the Jemez Mountains and Sandia sunrises.

“We were mindful to make sure they were all local, we know these performers have such a following,” said Gonzales Lustig. “Darren Cordova alone brings a crowd, but we have some up-and-coming local bands too. Even if you haven’t heard their music, you can connect with the music scene since you live it every day.”

Bernalillo County also partnered with local dance groups to teach a variety of dance styles like salsa and cumbia and perform their own choreographed dances.

Bernalillo County plans on continuing to make the festival a popular event for locals and tourists alike.

“We want to make this a destination event to make people come from all over the world to try and learn about chile,” Adolphe said. “There’s going to be something for everyone who comes to the festival.”