Hatch Chile Festival
Fall festival · Hatch · New Mexico
Every Labor Day weekend, the small farming town of Hatch fills with the smell of roasting green chile for its Chile Festival, September 5 and 6, 2026. Between chile-roasting stands, a parade, and live music, it is a loud way to mark the start of New Mexico's fall harvest, right along the Rio Grande's chile fields.
Don’t miss
Plan your visit
Labor Day weekend chile festival in downtown Hatch
Dates from the official announcement, checked August 20, 2026. Always confirm before you go.
Color nearby peaks: November 4–November 8
Color builds from October 21 · mostly bare by November 30
Sampled at Hatch Chile Festival’s own coordinates and elevation (1237 m) rather than a regional average.
New Mexico is sampled at 51 weather points, then moved 5 days earlier so the model agrees with 2 published peak dates from krqe.com. New Mexico is running 2 days earlier than its own average this year. How the forecast works
When to go to Hatch Chile Festival
The color window runs about 25 days, holding until around November 15. It sits at 4,058 ft, high enough to turn before the valleys do.
You will find it at Hatch, NM, in New Mexico.
Hatch Chile Festival on the map
Drag the date slider to see when color reaches this corner of New Mexico, or tap a pin for that stop’s own peak window.
More things to do in New Mexico
Farms & harvest
Frequently asked
- When is Hatch Chile Festival open in 2026?
- The 2026 season runs Sep 5 – Sep 6. Labor Day weekend chile festival in downtown Hatch. Dates can shift, so check the official site before you go.
- When does Hatch Chile Festival peak in 2026?
- Peak color is predicted for November 4–November 8 (best estimate November 6). Color starts around October 21 and is mostly bare by November 30.
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