12th Annual Paris Hatch Chile Fest — September 5 at Market Square

A Southwest tradition in the heart of Paris

Now in its 12th year, the Paris Hatch Chile Fest has become one of the most anticipated events on the downtown calendar. Each September, the Paris Farmers and Artisan Market partners with a New Mexico supplier to bring in approximately 2,500 pounds of fresh Hatch green chiles, which are roasted on an open flame in a rotating drum right on Market Square. The sight and smell of roasting chiles has become a signature late-summer experience in Paris.

Beyond the chiles, the festival features 40-plus vendors offering seasonal vegetables, farm-fresh eggs, baked goods, pasture-raised meats, artisan crafts, coffee, and hot food from mobile food trucks. Several vendors create special Hatch chile-inspired menu items for the festival, offering creative takes on the iconic New Mexico pepper.

What to bring and how to enjoy

Bring a cooler to take home your freshly roasted chiles by the pound, and come hungry for the food truck offerings and vendor samples. The market runs from 8 AM to 1 PM, with the roasting starting early and continuing through the morning. An evening event is also planned around 7 PM, extending the festival experience into the cooler evening hours. The event is free to attend, and all produce and chile purchases are made directly from the vendors.

The Hatch Chile Fest is a family-friendly event that draws visitors from across Lamar County and beyond. It exemplifies the kind of community programming that makes downtown Paris a vibrant destination and signals the health of the local small-business ecosystem. For commercial property investors, a city that invests in destination events like this demonstrates the foot traffic and consumer demand that support nearby retail, dining, and service businesses.

A full Saturday in downtown Paris

September 5 is a busy day in Paris. The Hatch Chile Fest runs through the morning and early afternoon at Market Square, while that evening Jamey Johnson performs at Stage 271 roughly an hour north in Grant, OK. It is a day that showcases the range of what this region offers: a downtown community festival rooted in local agriculture and small businesses, followed by a world-class concert at a resort venue just across the Red River.