What you should know about the Pueblo Chile & Frijoles Festival 2024

Pueblo is celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Chile & Frijoles Festival, which highlights Pueblo County's most important crop in a variety of ways.

The popular event was created to promote agriculture in Pueblo and encourage people throughout the community and region to “purchase fresh, local produce at the numerous farm stands and specialty shops open during the festival and throughout the year,” the website says.

The Pueblo Chile & Frijoles Festival is the city's second-largest tourism event each year, just behind the Colorado State Fair, said Duane Nava, president and CEO of the Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce.

The event attracts more than 150,000 people during its three-day run to downtown Pueblo, including guests from across Colorado and beyond.

“The economic boost it brings to not only our downtown community but our entire community, where people can go out and support our local restaurants, our local retail stores and really all of Pueblo's small businesses, is a good boost to our local economy,” Nava said. “Any time we can showcase our community to outside visitors and really show how great the community is, it's a great thing for Pueblo.”