Sauce / Salsa Contests

PRIZES 

One blue (1st place) ribbon will be awarded in each of the following categories:

• Best BBQ Sauce

• Best Mumbo Sauce

• Best Salsa 

Blue (1st place), red (2nd place), and white (3rd place) ribbons will be awarded in the following category:

• Best Hot Sauce

RULES

1. Individuals may not submit more than one entry for each of the categories listed above. 

2. All entries must be exhibited in clear glass jars or containers. Entries in green or blue-tinted glass will not be accepted.

3. All containers must be clean and have lids and bands free from mold and rust.

4. All entries must have been processed after August 16, 2025 (a week before judging). In other words, no entries should have been jarred before August 16, 2025.

5. All entries must be shelf-stable. Entries preserved in alcohol, entries that require refrigeration, unpasteurized fermented foods, unsealed jars, entries canned with paraffin, and entries that show signs of spoilage will not be accepted.

JUDGING CRITERIA

1. Taste (40%)

   1. Sauces are flavorful with an enjoyable level of spice and/or sweetness.

   2. Salsa has bold, fresh flavors.

2. Appearance (30%)

   1. Sauces have a homogenous, appetizing color.

   2. Salsa has an appealing look with vibrant colors.

3. Texture (30%)

   1. Sauces are homogeneous in texture, with an enjoyable level of granulation.

   2. Salsa has a pleasing texture, no matter where it is on the spectrum from smooth to chunky.

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

1. Register for the sauce/salsa contest at https://www.dcstatefair.org/2025-contests by 9:00 p.m. on Friday, August 15. No walk-up registrations will be accepted.

2. Bring your entry, accompanied with 1) a removable label that includes your name, the contest category, and the name of the entry and 2) a list of ingredients used in making your entry to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library at 901 G St NW on Saturday, August 23 between 11 am and 1 pm. Exact room location will be sent closer to the date.