are you brave enough hot sauce challenge
Are You Brave Enough?
The hot sauce challenge is back and will be featured in the Spice Lane tent of the festival. Local and regional pepper sauces from our regional farmers will be offered, and only for the brave. Are you brave enough to take the challenge?
The Williams Agency is collaborating partner on the USDA-sponsored Pepper Project along with KAS Consulting and Sustainable Business Network of MA. The Pepper Project is a research program designed to strengthen the competitiveness of locally grown chili, hot, and mild specialty crop peppers in Massachusetts and New England. The project will assess the demand for culturally-connected local pepper varieties among value-added producers, consumers, wholesalers, and institutional buyers, while identifying opportunities and barriers for local farmers and producers to meet that demand. We will also gather consumer and producer data through surveys and interviews, and share findings that support crop planning, sourcing relationships, and market development.
The Pepper Project Program Partners
LIVE MUSIC AND DANCE (entertainment stage)
12:00 PM : Safiya (Jazz, Caribbean)
2:00 PM : Boston Bhangra (Bhangra Dancing)
2:30 PM : Sambo Lolo African Dance and Drumming
4:00 PM : Boston Country Line Dancers
5:00 PM : Willie Colon & El Grupo Chevere (Latin Band)
HOT SAUCE CHALLENGE (In the spice lane)
11:00 AM - 6:00 PM - Are You Brave Enough Hot Sauce Challenge
FUN ZONE (on the upper deck)
11:00 AM - 6:00 PM - Karaoke, Photo Booth, Games
Safiya - 12 PM
Safiya is an award-nominated vocalist, songwriter, and cultural curator whose music lives at the intersection of jazz, neo-soul, reggae, and Afro-Caribbean traditions. An internationally touring artist, she has performed across North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and the Pacific, captivating audiences with immersive performances rooted in storytelling, cultural connection, and the universal language of rhythm.
boston bhangra 2 PM
Originating in Punjab, Bhangra is an upbeat, high-energy folk dance celebrated for its infectious music, vibrant movement, and rich cultural traditions. Since 2000, Boston Bhangra has been dedicated to promoting cultural awareness and preserving this art form through performances, classes, cultural programming, and youth mentorship.
As a nonprofit organization, Boston Bhangra uses Bhangra dance and music to connect communities, celebrate Punjabi culture, and introduce audiences of all backgrounds to this vibrant tradition.
Samba Lolo - 2:30 PM
Griot singer, guitarist, drummer, songwriter and storyteller Boubacar Diabate from Bamako, Mali comes from the Mande lineage and has combined traditional rhythms with modern influences to create his own style of contemporary Malian Griot music presenting his own compositions and arrangements, singing and playing guitar with his group, Samba Lolo. Singing in Bambara and Manding, Boubacar Diabate and SambaLolo create a performance that spans the full spectrum of Traditional to Contemporary Malian music from West Africa combined with Blues, Jazz, Reggae and Bluegrass - Bouba sings of our common shared experience of love, life and humanity, giving all an opportunity to hear the age-old West African tradition of Griot storytelling through song.
Willie Colon y El Grupo Chevere - 5 pm
El Grupo Chevere is a premier Boston-based Latin band bringing more than 30 years of experience and high-energy Latin music to stages throughout New England. Led by Willie Colón, this 9–11 member ensemble brings together Caribbean talent from Puerto Rico, Colombia, El Salvador, and the Dominican Republic. Their sound features crowd-favorite Salsa, Merengue, Bachata, and Cumbia, creating an energetic, dance-filled atmosphere wherever they perform. Get ready to dance as El Grupo Chevere brings the International Festival to a spectacular close Boston City Hall Plaza!
taste of the harvest lounge
Featured Cocktails by Kyisha Davenport of BarNoirBoston
Peppa Punch - Absolut Tabasco and local candied Scotch Bonnet Peppers
Spiced Tea - Sun Cruiser Vodka Iced Tea with local Apple Cider Syrup
Expresso Martini Shot - Rumson’s Coffee Rum, Cold Brew and Cream
kyisha Davenport
Kyisha Davenport, Founder, BarNoir Boston
Kyisha is the founder of BarNoirBoston, practicing the art of cultural storytelling in cocktails and hospitality. BarNoir's mission is to empower and create space for Black owned restaurants and bars, and people to thrive in Boston's hospitality industry and beyond.
Kyisha will curate farm-forward cocktails, exclusively for our festival. We can’t wait to see what Kyisha dreams up!
chef demo stage schedule
Demo #1, 12:00-1:00 PM : Chef Audley Mills, Yardie BBQ Delights
What’s Cooking? Callaloo & Saltfish Bruschetta
Demo #2, 1:30-2:30 PM : Chef Mary Parks, GreenCrab.org
What’s Cooking? Virgin South Coast Bloody Caesar
Demo #3, 3:00-4:00 PM : Chef Chris Faison, Hell’s Kitchen 24
What’s Cooking? Spiced Pumpkin Coconut Soup with Chili-Lime Crème
Demo #4, 4:30- 5:30 PM : Chef Audley Mills, Yardie BBQ Delights
What’s Cooking? Sweet Potato Black Bean Fritters with Jerk Chicken
Chef Audley Mills
Chef Audley Mills, Yardie BBQ Delights
Chef Audley Mills brings the heat wherever he cooks — blending the bold, smoky flavors of the Caribbean with a creative modern twist. Known for his signature jerk-inspired dishes and mouthwatering smoked meats, he turns every event into a flavor showdown.
From street-style pop-ups to high-energy cook-offs, Chef Mills cooks with passion, precision, and pure island soul. His dishes tell a story — one of tradition, culture, and the love of great food shared with great people. Representing flavor, fire, and authenticity, Chef Mills is here to prove that Caribbean cuisine isn’t just food — it’s an experience. As an eight-time Boston JerkFest Jerk Cook-off Champion, three-time Boston JerkFest Seafood Throwdown Champion and that of the 2025 Boston Local Food Festival Seafood Throwdown elevates vegetables beyond mere side dishes, showcasing their versatility and flavor in exciting ways.
Chef Mary Parks
Mary Parks, GreenCrab.org
Chef Mary Parks is a seafood lover, recreational crabber, and former fishmonger who sees invasive green crabs as an abundant and delicious resource. Mary grew up in Penobscot Bay and first learned about green crab's invasive impact from the surrounding lobstering and clamming community. After working in Boston's seafood industry and learning about bait markets for green crabs, she started asking what needed to be done to build a resilient culinary market for the invasive. She soon connected with a diverse community of chefs, harvesters, and researchers asking the same question. In 2020, she went on to found GreenCrab.org: a nonprofit dedicated to building culinary markets for European green crab and spreading awareness of its invasive impact.
Chef Chris Faison
Chef Chris Faison, Hell’s Kitchen 24
Chef Chris Faison is a Boston-based culinary innovator, educator, and community leader with over 15 years of professional culinary experience. A graduate of Johnson & Wales University and a contestant on Hell’s Kitchen Season 24: Battle of the States, Chef Chris is known for bringing bold global flavors, creativity, culture, and purpose to his cooking.
Currently a Culinary Arts Instructor at Madison Park Technical Vocational High School (BPS), Chef Chris is passionate about inspiring and preparing the next generation of culinary professionals through hands-on education, mentorship, and real-world industry experiences. A 2023 Boston JerkFest Seafood Throwdown Champion, he believes food is more than what’s on the plate—it’s an opportunity to educate, connect people, celebrate culture, and build community.