Celebrate 4th of July holiday at Music City Hot Chicken Festival
The chicken will be like the weather Monday — hot, hot, hot — when the Music City Hot Chicken Festival takes place at Nashville’s East Park.
The annual event was founded 16 years ago by then-Mayor Bill Purcell, when Nashville was celebrating the 200th anniversary of the city. Nashville was incorporated as a city in 1806.
Thinking about the best way to celebrate the city, Purcell landed on the idea of honoring Nashville hot chicken.
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“I chose chicken as the operating theme because it is my favorite food. And hot chicken is Nashville's indigenous food. It is the only food that was invented here,” Purcell said.
Monday's festival is 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Entrance is free, with a charge for food.
Participating establishments include Prince’s Hot Chicken, Bolton’s Spicy Chicken and Fish, Chicken Shack Express, Hurt’s Hot Chicken, Slow Burn, Lilly’s Hot Chicken, Hattie B’s, Eugene’s and Party Fowl.
André Prince Jeffries of the Prince family said Prince’s Hot Chicken has been a part of the festival from the beginning. Jeffries is thankful for Purcell’s involvement throughout the festival’s evolution.
“We had no idea what to expect," she said. "But due to your belief, at that time…To me, he's still the neighborhood mayor. He always comes. What an embrace.”
The festival, presented by Piedmont Natural Gas, is traditionally on July Fourth.
What to expect
At 10:30 a.m. Monday, before doors open, the annual Hot Chicken Festival Parade, sponsored by Nashville International Airport, will highlight antique fire trucks, the Nashville’s Roller Girls, the Nashville Ghost Busters and parade throws such as beads.
Warner Elementary will host a Kids Zone for the family friendly event as well.
During the festival, live music will be performed by Nashville-based musicians Joey Fletcher, Larysa Jaye and Khrys Hatch. Souvenirs, games and additional activities will be available.
Other food vendors expected include familiar names such as The Peach Truck, Buns on the Run Food Truck & Catering Co. and King of Pops and Kernels Gourmet Popcorn.
“I’m truly grateful for the community’s support for Prince’s and the Festival,” Jeffries said. The line at Prince’s is typically long at the close, and the eatery often feels sorry if they have to cut it off.
As for Purcell, he looks forward to the same thing every year: to arrive at the park and see people from across the city there.
“This is a time when we come together — north, south, east, west,” he said.
“People from all places, and lots of outsiders as well, come to simply celebrate being in Nashville on the Fourth of July.”
Hot Chicken Festival Amateur Contest
On June 29 at the Nashville Farmers Market, the Hot Chicken Festival Amateur Contest saw five chefs compete for the title of the best homemade hot chicken.
Team Alonzo, led by Kali Alonzo along with her husband, Nick, took home the trophy.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Music City Hot Chicken Festival to return Monday
