NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — What unites Nashville on the Fourth of July? None other than the Nashville Hot Chicken Festival.
The annual celebration brought professional hot chicken vendors and amateur competitors to East Park, continuing a tradition that has helped spread Nashville's signature dish around the world.
"But then to celebrate that special thing that only we have the freedom to eat hot chicken," said former Nashville Mayor Bill Purcell, who founded the festival.
Purcell established the event in 2006 as part of Nashville's 200th anniversary celebration.
"Everywhere but Antarctica has Nashville hot chicken now," said Purcell.
Festival attendees lined up to sample offerings from established vendors like Prince's Hot Chicken, a Nashville institution.
"We got Prince's Hot Chicken and I'm kind of a sissy so I got the mild," said one attendee.
The professionals emphasized that quality hot chicken is about more than just heat.
"It is tasty chicken, not bland chicken," said another.
Amateur chefs also got their chance to shine in the festival's competition, with Purcell serving as one of several judges evaluating their creations.
"It's very hot," said Stacy Hawkins, one of this year's amateur competitors. "It's just not hot, it has flavor, and flavor with love makes a terrific meal."
Stephan Domingues, another competitor, showcased the spice blend he's perfected over years of experimentation.
"I just leave them the size they are," Domingues said about his chicken preparation.
Domingues has been refining his recipe for more than a decade.
"About as long as I've been eating hot chicken, probably 14 years," he said.
The festival highlighted how passionate Nashville residents are about their signature dish, with each hot chicken enthusiast having their own preference for spice level.
"At the end of the day, it's spice. It's not that it's the hottest or the least hot, it's the right amount of heat and the right amount of moisture and all the things that when you're done, you know your life is changed," said Purcell.
Have you tried making Nashville hot chicken at home? Share your recipe or photos from this year's festival! Email me directly at Kim.Rafferty@NewsChannel5.com with your spicy chicken stories.
This story was reported by Kim Rafferty and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Kim and our editorial team verify all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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