Hatch Chile Festival Meat - Up September 4-7, 2026

[58limited]

I think there is enough interest to start planning this. The Hatch Chile Festival is held over the Labor Day Weekend on Sept. 5-6, 2026. Since it is a holiday weekend I decided that we need to start the ball rolling now before hotels and flights are booked up.

https://www.hatchchilefestival.com/

John Panhead John has been helping me with the hotel. I assume most people will want to arrive on Friday and leave on Monday but we are going to let the hotel know that some may arrive on Thursday and/or leave on Sunday.

We found a really good rate at the TownPlace Suites by Marriot in Las Cruces (not much lodging in Hatch itself - Hatch is about 30 or so miles away). This rate is at least $25.00 cheaper than the normal rate. These rooms have a full-sized fridge and full kitchen.

Here is the reservation link, use this to reserve a room. Note that the dates are Thursday Sept. 3 through Tuesday Sept. 8. This is a little leeway to get the good group rate for those who might wish to stay longer. When you make your reservations you can choose the dates that you will stay, I figure most will stay Friday through Monday. This block of rooms will be held until August 7, no penalty cancellation 2 days prior to your arrival date.

https://www.marriott.com/event-reservations/reservation-link.mi?id=1776958809020&key=GRP&app=resvlink&_bra nch_match_id=1575997640986641274&_branch_referrer= H4sIAAAAAAAAA8soKSkottLXTywo0MtNLCrKzC8p0UvOz9UvSi 3OyczLtgdK2ALZZSCOWmaKraG5uZmlqYWFgaWBkYFadmqlrXtQ gFpdUWpaKlB3Xnp8UlF%2BeXFqka1bJlAsvwIA4MBtymEAAAA% 3D


Event Summary:

Amazing Ribs - Las Cruces

Start Date: Thursday, September 03, 2026

End Date: Tuesday, September 08, 2026

• TownePlace Suites by Marriott Las Cruces for 129.00 USD - 159.00 USD per night

• Single-Queen Studio Rooms: $129 ($148.67 post tax)
  • One (1) Queen-sized bed
  • One (1) Fold-out sofa
  • Kitchenette Area (Full sized fridge, oven, stovetop, dishes, utensils, and dishwasher)
• Double-Queen Studio Rooms: $139 ($159.99 post tax)
  • Two Queen-sized beds
  • One (1) Fold-out sofa bed
  • Kitchenette Area
• One Bedroom Suites: $159 (182.67 post tax)
  • Apartment Style - bedrooms separate from living room area
  • One (1) Queen-sized bed
  • One (1) Fold-out sofa
  • Kitchenette Area

Some more information on our property; we are a pet friendly hotel with a pet policy of $25 per pet per night with a max charge of $150.


We offer a complementary buffet-style breakfast that rotates options every morning. We also offer complementary Wi-Fi and parking. Our outdoor pool and hot tub area is also free to guests every day from 7am - 10pm.





If you can't live without the burnt orange color palate of the 70s then this is the place for you...




I posted a poll in January to see if there was interest in this Meat - Up and several responded with "yes." A few local members posted various activities or places to visit in addition to the Hatch Chile Festival, read about it here: https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/fo...p-any-interest

The Harvest Wine and Music Festival will be that weekend as well. There are lots of things to see and do that weekend so whether you attend both days of the Hatch Chile Festival or just one I think you will have an enjoyable trip.


For those who cannot make the Hatch Chile Meat Up we are still going to have a Texas Meat Up towards late October. Panhead John will post about it long about the beginning of July. I plan to attend both.

[barelfly]

Hey hey hey!!!!!!!!!!!

Gonna be a fun time!!!!!!!! Ask any questions you have - happy to help with logistics or anything else that the group may have.

[Mosca]

What’s the nearest major airport?

[Panhead John]

El Paso, Tx is the closest major airport, about 52 miles from Las Cruces. Las Cruces has a regional airport.

[barelfly]

As PJ mentions - El Paso. Las Cruces won’t have any major airline flights. Albuquerque is 3 hours from Las Cruces, offers some fun if you wanted to see some other things in the state as well. Albuquerque/Santa Fe are excellent foodie spots, history/culture, outdoor activities.

[LA Pork Butt]

I have eaten some New Mexico hatch chili food, and it makes Cajun food’s heat pale. So, you will have to count me out on this one. I will miss y’all.

[Willy]

Seriously, NM/"Hatch" chiles are not necessarily hot. "Hatch" chile varieties such as NuMex 6-4, Joe E Parker, and Big Jims are generally mild. I mean, heck, Tabasco hot sauce, a NoLa specialty, is made from fairly hot Cayennes! Perhaps you were served Sandia or Lumbre/Barker varieties, which are quite hot. OTOH, it's sweet to have NM's--land of Real chiles--reputation put NoLa to shame. LOL

[Mosca]

We get them locally in late July or so. They do come in crates from New Mexico. The ones marked “medium” are pretty spicy! Last year they were mild.

I couldn’t tell you the difference just by looking at them, though. Every time I see them, it’s been a year since I last saw them.

[realdocBBQ]

Yeah there are all types of hot or mild Hatch chiles.

I'd love to do this, but I doubt it'll happen. Enjoy, hope ya'll have a good time.

[Andrrr]

ditto

[58limited]

Reservation link is posted in the first post! I got my room already.


Here are a few pics of the Hatch Chile Festival blatantly stolen from Jeremy barelfly 's threads:




















Youtube video from Marcy Inspired, check out the Pepper Pot restaurant at 8:03

[WI Bubba]

Already looking at flights and drive times. But I won't know until May 4th if I can get the time off. I'm pretty low seniority to be looking for time off around a holiday. Here's hoping.

[58limited]

May The Forth Be With You

[realdocBBQ]

Told The Wife I was thinking about something, wasn't sure if she'd be interested or not... she asked, "Does it involved eating?" I just stared at her and finally said yes. She said of course - she knows many of my ideas regarding some kind of trip or travel at least very strongly involve food, if not revolve around it entirely.

So then I told her about the Meat Up and how the South Texas Spring Meat Up almost always ends up being the same weekend as our Walk A Mile In Her Shoes charity event - as it did this year again. So that rules us out in the Spring, for the last several years.

Anyways, I told her this fall, Labor Day weekend, they were doing a Meat Up in Las Cruces, NM at the Hatch Chile Festival.

She just looked at me and said, "So have you booked our hotel yet?" lol

So I guess I'm researching flights today...

[rodkeary]

Well played!

[58limited]

Hope you make it, would love to meet you.

[jfmorris]

I would love to do this, but have no clue what life for us will be like in September. And SWMBO is not as into food as I am. Sounds fun though! I love hatch chilis!

[gcdmd]

For those who might want to lengthen their trip:
Chimayo
Santa Fe
Bandolier National Monument
Taos

Just ran across this:
10 lesser-known New Mexico destinations that deserve a spot on your list

[gcdmd]

58limited
Does Santa Fe have a major airport now?

[58limited]

Yes, probably mostly puddle jumpers. I'm flying from Port Arthur to DFW and connecting to Santa Fe. Home will be El Paso to DFW to Port Arthur. Port Arthur has puddle jumper service to DFW only.

[barelfly]

gcdmd - not a major airport. Regional - I think Denver, Dallas, Phoenix? Maybe a few other major airports that fly the smaller regional jets.

[glitchy]

I love hatch chilies, but Labor Day is definitely lake time as it’s one of the last weekends for access to the resort. Hope y’all have a blast though.

[WI Bubba]

Time off work is confirmed. Room is booked for Friday arrival, and leaving on Monday.
We are hoping to see lots of you all there!

[58limited]

I just booked my airline ticket. My tentative plan is to fly into Santa Fe and spend the week traveling down the state to the Hatch Chile Festival. I'll fly out via El Paso.

I've got a reservation at Rancho de Chimayo Hacienda for Aug.31 - Sept. 2 and I've got the Las Cruces hotel reservation. Now I just need to decide on places to drive to and stay Tuesday night through Friday morning.

[58limited]

barelfly Do you know anything about the Riudoso area? Looks to be close to the Mescalero Apache reservation, Alamagordo, and Roswell.

[barelfly]

Ruidoso is a cool mountain town. I have always enjoyed my time there when I’ve gone. A few restaurants that are good, tourist area and nice escape from summer heat. You could make the detour off of I25 to Carrizozo, which allows you to pass the Buckhorn Tavern in San Antonio, NM, where they have a great green chile cheeseburger that Beat Bobby Flay. Then you can make it to Ruidoso/Mescalero area, then on to Alamogordo for White Sands National Park.

[barelfly]

Then you are 45-60 minutes to Las Cruces for your next home base. But Ruidoso is fun with some cool shops, a brewery in town etc. It’s been a bit since I’ve been there but if you have time, one day there would be perfect to walk around the main area. They use to have horse racing as well, but there have been so many fires over the year, the last one I think pushed out the track operators and horses.

[58limited]

Bump to remind anyone interested.

So far we have confirmed:

WI Bubba

58limited

barelfly

Maybe:

realdocBBQ

SheilaAnn


Members who showed interest when I posted a poll awhile back:

TripleB

jayjordan

SmokinSoldiers

Bbqstu

[CaptainMike]

Can't make it this time, David.

[SheilaAnn]

I want to go so bad! But Labor Day weekend will be expensive and my boss keeps bouncing my paychecks. So….. this will have to be a last minute decision for me.

[HawkerXP]

Labor Day weekend we have plans as well.