26th annual 'I Like It Hot!' Festival brings spicy samples to England Brothers Park

26th annual ‘I Like It Hot!’ Festival brings spicy samples to England Brothers Park

Organizers and business owners showcased hundreds of spicy samples, rare pepper plants, and sweet treats designed to cool down attendees.

admin September 13, 2026 2 minutes read

PINELLAS PARK, Fla. – Organizers and business owners showcased hundreds of spicy samples, rare pepper plants, and sweet treats designed to cool down attendees.

Hot sauce event Pinellas Park

What we know:

The 26th annual “I Like It Hot!” Festival took place at England Brothers Park in Pinellas Park, offering visitors hundreds of samples with flavors ranging from mild to wild. Event organizer Michelle Northup, known as “The Saucy Queen,” said visitors can sample their way through the grounds and purchase items from local makers. “It is a tradition. The Chile head community in the Tampa Bay area is strong,” Northup said.

Attendees can try extreme items, including a hot lollipop that requires signing a waiver. Vendors are also selling specialty foods like cinnamon rolls. Ashley Leon, co-owner of The Cinnabus, showcased a cinnamon roll topped with a custom five-pepper jelly. “It’s a regular cinnamon roll, and then he made this five-pepper jelly. It has jalapeño, Carolina Reaper habanero, scotch pepper, a scotch bonnet and ghosts,” Leon said.

The event offers cooling options like ice cream and lemonade alongside contests throughout the day. Farmers and vendors are also selling rare pepper plants directly to visitors. John St. Hilaire, representing Infinite Capsicum Supply, displayed peppers ranging from mild orange Thai peppers to the Dorset Naga pepper.

St. Hilaire noted that the Dorset Naga pepper ranks up to 1.6 million Scoville heat units, making it thousands of times hotter than a jalapeño. “You can’t find that in a grocery store around here. The only way you’re going to find it is by growing it yourself,” St. Hilaire said.