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MLT’s first hot sauce festival leaves people burning for more

By
Rick Sinnett

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The first Get Sauced! Hot Sauce Festival was on Aug. 23, 2025. (Photos by Rick Sinnett.)

The weather wasn’t the only thing that was hot in Mountlake Terrace Saturday. The city’s first hot sauce festival — Get Sauced! — added to the heat as companies from across Washington state offered tastes of their torrid toppings.

The day marked what many residents – including Councilmember William Paige Jr. – are hoping will be an annual event in the city.

Councilmember William Paige Jr. and his wife, Ellen, try samples from Hot and Bottled’s Scott and Maxwell Campbell.

Paige said he enjoyed seeing the number of people attending the small festival. He said as he was walking up, festival sponsor Double DD Meats had a line out the door, and Alberto Jr. Mexican Restaurant was “packed.”

“Whoever came up with this is a genius,” Paige said.

Best of Show winner Embeba Hagos uses Ethiopian spices to capture the flavors of her childhood.

There were actually two geniuses behind the festival. Sarah Frost, Mountlake Terrace Chamber of Commerce chair and owner of Making Local Markets, and Justin Nygard, chamber secretary and DD Meats’ chief operations officer, came up with the idea.

If anyone knows hot sauces and their makers, it’s Nygard.

The locally owned and operated Grocery Outlet joined in on the saucy event. (Photo by Rick Sinnett.)

Double DD Meats has over 3,000 hot sauces, 1,000 barbecue sauces, 400 marinades, steak sauce and rubs, and the beef, pork and lamb to put it on.

Frost said she hopes this will be an annual event. However, it can be difficult to get vendors during the busy summer months when larger events take priority.

“The hot sauce community really came out for this one,” Frost said.

A list of the Get Sauced! Hot Sauce Festival vendors can be seen here.

3 COMMENTS

    • We did publish a story announcing it several days ago. I encourage people to sign up for our daily newsletter (it’s free) to see upcoming events. You can find the link to sign up at the bottom of every story we publish.

  1. I am actually trying to reach the best in show winner Embeba Hagos! I sent you a message on Instagram. Congratulations on your win! Wish I knew about this yesterday, it sounds like it would’ve been fun!! I’m a big hot sauce fan!

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