Bentonville Is Turning Up the Heat With a Brand-New Spicy Food Festival
Bentonville’s newest festival is bringing bold flavors, live music and spicy competition to downtown
BENTONVILLE, Ark. —
Northwest Arkansas is about to turn up the heat with a brand-new festival celebrating bold flavors, live music and spicy competition. Whether you enjoy sampling unique hot sauces, cheering on daring competitors or testing your own heat tolerance, the Ozark Flame & Flavor Festival will offer something for spice lovers of all ages.
The inaugural festival will take place Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, from 3:30 to 10:30 p.m. at Record, located at 104 SW A Street in downtown Bentonville. Guests can expect an evening filled with fiery flavors, live entertainment, food, family-friendly activities and plenty of opportunities to join in the fun.
The event will feature a League of Fire Bentonville Belt Match, public eating competitions, craft hot sauce vendors, food and drinks, cash prizes and live music from Dreadful Day. Families can also enjoy face painting, kids’ activities and a vendor market while contestants compete for prizes, bragging rights and the chance to prove they can handle the heat.
What You Should Know Before You Go
Date: Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026Time: 3:30 to 10:30 p.m.Location: Record, 104 SW A Street, downtown BentonvilleFeatured competition: Watch the League of Fire Bentonville Belt Match.Public competitions: Amateur Pepper Eating, Spicy Wing Eating and Kids’ Eating contests will be featured.Cash prizes: Competitors will have the chance to win prize money and bragging rights.Live music: Dreadful Day will perform throughout the evening.Hot sauce vendors: Shop craft hot sauce vendors and sample local sauces.People’s Choice competition: Vote for the Bentonville Hot Sauce People’s Choice winner.Food and drinks: Food and bar options will be available for purchase.Family-friendly activities: Enjoy face painting, kids’ activities and a vendor market featuring handcrafted spicy goods.Kids’ entries: Parental consent is required for children participating in contests.Tickets: Admission includes access to the competitions, live music and vendor market. Food, drinks and sauce purchases are sold separately.
The Ozark Flame & Flavor Festival invites guests to celebrate flavor, fire and community during a fun-filled evening in downtown Bentonville.
