With an annual attendance hitting 100,000, the Loaf ‘N Jug Chile & Frijoles Festival is no stranger to regional attention, but the festival found itself in the national spotlight when it was featured on Livability.com’s Top 10 Food Festivals:

Pueblo heats up every September with the annual Loaf ‘N Jug Chile & Frijoles Festival. The three-day event celebrates two of Pueblo’s most famous Southwestern staples – Pueblo green chiles and frijoles (pinto beans). The event features music, arts and crafts, cooking and eating competitions, and a 5K run.

The festival was ranked No. 2 on the list, in between Tupelo, MS’s Dudie Burger Festival and Knoxville, TN’s Biscuit Festival. This isn’t the first time that Livability.com has profiled the Chile & Frijoles Festival — the event was also featured in an article on their website.

An article in the Pueblo Chieftain is reporting that this year’s Chile and Frijoles Festival was attended by approximately 100,000 visitors, comparable to last year’s festival despite the institution of a $2 entrance fee.

Local news crews were on hand this weekend to cover the success of the 16th Annual Loaf ‘N Jug Chile & Frijoles Festival, particularly noting high sales by farmers — some of whom sold between $20,000 and $50,000 in chile peppers. You can watch the news report on their website.

Unsure of what to do first at this year’s Loaf ‘N Jug Chile and Frijoles Festival? The Pueblo Chieftain has outlined some of the many events taking place at the festival:

Festivalgoers can look forward to  an array of events, such as the Chile and Salsa Showdown, Farmers Market, Jalapeño Eating Contest, the Song of Pueblo and Battle of the Bands.

For the love of beans, the Union Avenue Historic District has planned the Hot to Trot 5K Run, Two Mile Fun Walk, Kiddie K, Holy Frijole — That’s a Good Bean Dip Contest,  Bean Spit-Off, Three-Legged Bean Race, Primo Pinto Pound Down Bean Eat Off and the Beer Chug-A-Lug and Bust That Pinata.

The festival runs all weekend long and features a variety of attractions, including live music, dance troupes, and a farmers market.

In Pueblo, a burger is more than just a burger. Smother it with the city’s famous green chiles and top with raw onions and you’ve got a slopper — Pueblo’s unique contribution to the food world.

 But no two sloppers are created equal, leading to a rivalry between Gray’s Coors Tavern and Sunset Inn for complete slopper domination.

That’s what attracted the Travel Channel to Pueblo for an episode of the series “Food Wars,” where host Camille Ford settles the score between Sunset and Gray’s once and for all. You can see a clip of the show, highlighting the slopper and Gray’s Coors Tavern, on their website. Which restaurant pulled out a win? Check your local listings to find out.