Do You Make the Best Salsa in Billings? Prove It at Salsa Fest May 1

If you make a killer salsa, you might want to whip up a batch for the inaugural Salsa Fest, happening on Friday, May 1st, in Downtown Billings. Whether you make it chunky or smooth, mild or fiery, your best salsa has a chance to take home $500 and serious bragging rights.

Sponsored by the Montana Brewing Company and Hooligan's Sports bar, the Salsa Festival action will take place under Skypoint and provides an excellent warm-up event to Cinco de Mayo.

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The word salsa literally means “sauce” in Spanish, and its roots trace back to the Aztecs, Incas, and Mayans, who were mixing tomatoes, chilies, and herbs long before it showed up next to a basket of tortilla chips. It’s simple food with serious history, and wildly regional variations.

We all have a favorite Mexican restaurant in Billings that makes "the best" salsa, but opinions on what makes it the best can vary widely (kind of like pizza, right?). Some salsa lovers like it as hot as possible. Others prefer mild. Do green peppers belong in salsa? Or no?

One of my favorite store-bought salsas came from the Laurel IGA deli, RIP. It was a little bit watery, but, OMG, it was so good. I could eat half a container in one sitting.

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The nice thing about making fresh salsa is that it's ridiculously easy.

Choose your secret ingredients, dump them all in a food processor, and boom! You're ready to power down with a bag of chips, preferably, in my case, with a cold cerveza or margarita on the rocks.

Here's how to enter the Billings' Salsa Festival competition:

• Bring a jar of your best homemade salsa to either Hooligan’s or Montana Brewing Company.
• Drop-off starts on Wednesday, April 22nd, and ends on April 29.
• Judging begins on Thursday, April 30th.
• The winner will be crowned live on stage on Friday, May 1st, during the fest.

First Place wins $500 cash, and prizes will be awarded for 2nd and 3rd place. The event starts at 5 PM, and attendees can enjoy the Repeat Offenders on the Outdoor Stage at the party. You know they'll have to play several songs by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, right?