Local restaurants compete, add spice to Salsa Festival

Residents from Maricopa and beyond will converge on Pacana Park 2 to 9 p.m. Saturday for an afternoon and evening of activities for the young and old. The 9th annual Salsa Festival will include music, food, games and a few surprises.

This year’s festival will showcase a new category for Professional Salsa Chefs from local restaurants. Chefs from UltraStar’s 347 Grill and Southern Dunes’ Grille 109 will compete, among others, said event organizer Cindy Dunn of Action Alliance Network.

Grille 109’s food and beverage manager Michael Anderson said he is elated to be participating as a contestant.

“We just want to take this opportunity to let Maricopa know that although we are a golf club, the restaurant is open to the public and we have great food,” he said.

Restaurant patrons will be welcomed to sample salsa entries Wednesday through Friday of the week leading up to the festival. Maricopans will have the opportunity to vote online in this category and the winner will be announced at the festival.

Each restaurant will provide 15 gallons of their salsa at the event, Dunn said.

Previous category Best Overall Salsa winner will hold the honor of being the Best Salsa Chef in Maricopa 2013, along with a $1,000 purse. As in past years, $500 awards will be given for Best Hot Salsa, Best Mild Salsa and Most Unusual Salsa.

Created by the Maricopa City Council in 2006 to promote community involvement, the Salsa Festival has become one of the city’s biggest draws.

The title sponsor is CenturyLink. Other key event sponsors include UltraStar Multitainment Center, Orbitel Communications, Premier Orthodontics and Papa Murphy’s Pizza.

Returning to this year’s event will be activities such as the Kid’s Zone, rock wall, bouncers, obstacle course, community stage with local stars, Cantina/Tequila tasting, business and craft vendors.