Lubbock’s Hatch Chile Fest Is Back Through August 26

Before back-to-school season and before Texas Tech football, there’s another sign that summer is beginning to wind down in Lubbock.

It’s that sharp, smoky smell floating through the air that tells you Hatch Chile Fest has arrived.

I honestly don’t know how far the Hatch chile celebration stretches. Does it make it into Oklahoma or even farther? Is it celebrated everywhere in Texas, or is it mostly a West Texas and New Mexico tradition?

All I know is that when those chile roasters start rolling out in Lubbock, it feels familiar and comforting. It’s one of those seasonal traditions that lets you know exactly what time of year it is without looking at a calendar.

You’ll soon see those big roasting cages spinning outside United Supermarkets, Market Street and Amigos. This year, I’m encouraging you to go all-natural with your green chiles.

Let me explain.

I use green chiles like a madman. I make green chile burgers, and I love dumping a can into Alfredo sauce to give it a little more depth, flavor and zip.

This year, I also experimented with green chile and cheese enchiladas. That experiment is exactly why I’m preaching the gospel of freshly roasted Hatch chiles today.

Don’t Be Afraid of Fresh Green Chiles

For years, I always bought the big cans or giant jars of green chiles.

As much as I enjoyed the smell and tradition of fresh chiles roasting outside the grocery store, I didn’t really know what to do with them once I got them home.

Then a friend bought more roasted chiles than he could use and gifted me a freezer bag full of them.

Out of a sense of obligation—and because I didn’t want to be wasteful—I thawed them, peeled them and diced them up for a batch of green chile and cheese enchiladas.

It was life-changing.

Okay, maybe it was only menu-changing, but you get the point.

The flavor was richer, smokier and much more substantial than what I was used to getting from a can. The freshly roasted chiles didn’t just add heat. They added an entirely different layer of flavor to the meal.

That’s why I’m here to tell you not to fear the chile. Embrace it.

Buy them fresh. Have them roasted. Take them home, peel them, dice them and freeze whatever you don’t immediately use. Then start experimenting.

Add them to burgers, eggs, queso, casseroles, enchiladas, pasta sauce or just about anything else that could use a little West Texas attitude.

Read More: Texas Sales Tax Holiday 2026 Dates, Rules, And What Qualifies |

Hatch chile roastings are happening now through August 26 at United Supermarkets, Market Street and Amigos.

Follow that smoky smell and give the fresh stuff a chance.

You’ll thank me later.