About the NC Hot Sauce Contest

 The NC Hot Sauce Contest & Festival attracts between 15,000-20,000 people to Downtown Oxford and Granville County annually and has consistently been voted one of the best festivals in the County. This one-day event offers live entertainment with two headliner bands, local spotlight bands, the Bailey Farms Pepper Eating Contest, the hot sauce, bbq sauce, and powder/rub contest (with 2022 having a record total of 60+ entries). Food truck vendors, sauce vendors, local & NC craft beer, and retail & craft vendors. It also features a classic car show, scavenger hunt, a kid's area, and more! We can't wait to see you in Downtown Oxford!  ​ 

HISTORY OF THE NORTH CAROLINA HOT SAUCE CONTEST

Years ago Julia Stovall Overton, Owner of Stovall's Gifts located at 100 Main Street in historic downtown Oxford, hosted an event in her store, Stovalls promoting North Carolina specifically hot sauces. From that event, the NC Hot Sauce Contest was born and has grown to encompass 16 city blocks in downtown Oxford. In recognition of the event and its success, the North Carolina General Assembly on March 19, 2009, adopted the 2nd Saturday in September as North Carolina Hot Sauce Day sponsored by Representative Crawford. Each year the Hot Sauce Contest grows and adapts to the changing and growing community adding craft brews, arts/crafts, and area food-truck adding to its rich and flavorful history. In 2019 Julia Overton announced her retirement with the main stage being named in her honor. The Downtown Economic Development Corporation and the City of Oxford recognize the "Hot Sauce Contest" as an important economic driver of Downtown Oxford's current and future economy.    

Bailey Farms is the "Pepper Eating Contest" sponsor and the largest pepper producer/distributor on the eastern seaboard. 

North Carolina’s finest hot sauces and barbecue sauces, along with breweries and wineries spice up the blends and texture of downtown Oxford's historical streets. Capture all the "cool" history of Oxford by visiting the Granville County Museum while Downtown, open from 11:00 - 5:00 pm on hot sauce day. 

Downtown Oxford offers a variety of local shop owners waiting to greet you and show off their unique fun inventory. Locally owned restaurants are ready to serve you in their "cool" dining rooms... don't miss Granville County's only historic Downtown and Designated Main Street.

It's Happening in Downtown Oxford!