Hot Sauce Expo Coming To New York April 20 And 21

Calling all hot sauce lovers: on April 20 and 21, Williamsburg, Brooklyn's East River State Park will quite possibly become the hottest destination on the East Coast (or should we say spiciest).

The first-ever Hot Sauce Expo will bring together more than 50 vendors of artisan hot sauce into one location, and it won't just be an outlet for them to show their wares — the competition will be as hot as the sauces (apologies for all the puns).

The Screaming Mi Mi Awards will be awarded Saturday, April 20, as all submissions will be judged and rated according to the following categories: Louisiana-Style, Chipotle, Fruit-Based, Fruit-Based Hot, Jalapeño, Habanero, Scorpion, Pepper Blend, Best Label Artwork, Novelty Hot Sauce, and People's Choice. A chicken wing contest will be held Sunday, April 21, and a Bloody Mary contest will be held April 20. Brooklyn Borough president Marty Markowitz will also be on hand, to proclaim April 20 "Brooklyn Hot Sauce Day."

Tickets to the festival are only $10 (or $12 on the day-of), and VIP tickets, which cost $100, provide access to a full bar that includes spirits and the "Bloody Mary Mix-Down" competition (Sunday only), a VIP gift bag, a bottle of High River Sauces, and a year's subscription to Chile Pepper Magazine. More info and tickets can be found on the event's website.