COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — The Columbus Fiery Foods Festival returns to downtown Saturday and Sunday, with over 40 vendors bringing the heat. 

Starting 11 a.m. Saturday and noon Sunday, the festival will take over the Main Street Bridge with some of the spiciest vendors from central Ohio. Festival goers can expect Spice Pepper Enterprises, Dr. May’s Thai Kitchen, Spicy Mike’s Hot Sauce, Peppers-R-Paradise, Sexy Goat Hot Sauces, The Ohio Hot Sauce Company and many more. 

“We’re looking forward to bringing this festival back, it’s been two years in the making and is long overdue,” said Mike Gallicchio, President of MGN, the event firm behind the festival. “We know we have many ‘chileheads’ in Columbus and around the region ready for some heat and we’re ready to bring it.” 

Attendees can hop from vendor to vendor, sampling everything from barbecue and salsa to hot sauce and sweet treats. The festival will also be home to a market with crafters and artisans along with live entertainment and food trucks. 

Contests will also run throughout the weekend, including the Hot Wings Eating and Hot Pepper Eating competitions. Contestants will receive unlimited milk during the contest and a complimentary T-shirt. Follow the festival on Facebook for updates on the contests. 

General admission tickets are $10 per person at the gate and $5 online. Tickets are good for a single day admission and get guests into the festival either day. Children 12 and younger are admitted free with a paid adult admission.