Nothing screams “Nashville” like stuffing your face with hot chicken in 90-degree weather with humidity north of 60 percent! I’m being totally earnest — seriously, it’s the Nashville way. A popular tradition established two decades ago by former Mayor Bill Purcell, the Music City Hot Chicken Festival will once again go down this Fourth of July in East Park and is set to include an amateur-chef contest judged by a panel of esteemed Nashvillians (including Scene reporter Eli Motycka). It won’t be all amateurs of course, as pros including Bill’s Hot Fish and Chicken, Hattie B’s, Hurt’s Hot Chicken, the originators at Prince’s Hot Chicken and several others will be there selling their fiery fowl. Attendees can cool their palates with a beer from Yazoo Brewing Company or a treat from Retro Sno, and entertainment will be provided by Mount Worcester, Animaleja and Fly2k. Festival proceeds will benefit Nashville’s parks, and the whole shindig kicks off with the annual fire truck parade down Woodland Street. (Expect “antique and modern fire trucks plus unique vehicles, mascots, bands and of course beads!”) Find more details at hot-chicken.com.
Parade 10:30 a.m. at Woodland and Ninth streets; festival 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at East Park
700 Woodland St.
