Day One of Hot & Spicy Fest Proved Things Are Just Heating Up

Day one of the Beijinger Hot & Spicy Festival 2020 was a massive success, thanks to all the delicious food and drink, fun party vibes, and awesome entertainment. It was the first time we’ve ever started the festivities on Friday, and from the turnout, it seemed pretty clear that folks were eager to start the weekend off right.

The sky was clear all day and gave way to a perfect balmy summer evening, while droves of spicy food-lovers descended on Galaxy Soho. Over forty food and drink vendors were prepped and ready to go, serving a dizzying array of hot, spicy, and downright delicious food from all over the globe including adobo tacos, chocolate chili froyo, spicy sliders, jalaneno margaritas prawn buns, beef steak with chili con carne, and so, so, so much more. 

The festivities kicked off with a surprise speech from the Mexican ambassador to China, José Luis Bernal, who gave the hungry audience insights into the history of Mexican food and chili peppers. Then, the ceremonial beating of the virus pinata gave way to the thumping tunes from superstar DJs Pancakelee+Mario Yu, followed by our ultra-talented live entertainers, including the Latin Rockers, whose covers of some of Mexico’s best hits kept us dancing well into the night, as well as a performance by a pair of Mariachi dancers who showed off their moves in tribute to the festival's country of honor, Mexico.

So what's next? Well, a whole weekend of Hot & Spicy Festival of course! The festivities begin at 11am today and tomorrow, and tickets can be purchased at the door. There's a jam-packed lineup of entertainment, from our 10th annual Chili Eating Competition to funk-rock outfit, Joker's Belief. Plus an endless amount of all manner of spice.

Now scroll on to see more of our favorite moments from the day:

READ: How to Get to Galaxy Soho for the Hot & Spicy Festival Aug 14-16

Images: Uni You, the Beijingers