SoNo Park Holiday Fest & ChiliPalooza is Here

Two ‘hoods typically rivaling over who has the thickest rimmed glasses and the largest selection of locally brewed beers will set aside their pride and irony for a community event. Only the holidays could bring the hipsters to a truce.

The 3rd Annual SoNo Park Holiday Fest & ChiliPalooza is half South Park, half North Park, and a whole lot of chili and beer. Taking place on Sunday, December 2 from 11am to 5pm between 32nd and Thorn Street, SoNo will also feature holiday shopping from local vendors, live music sponsored by Bar Pink and the Casbah, food trucks and activities for the kids.

If it’s the chili that caught your eye, trade in your skinny jeans for some looser fitting apparel. A handful of smack-talking local restaurants are firing up for the ChiliPalooza, including Alchemy (featuring McKinley Student Chefs), Blind Lady Alehouse/Tiger! Tiger!, Hamilton's Tavern, Juan Chou, Kensington Cafe, Kensington Grill, Lefty's, The Linkery/El Take It Easy!, Phil's BBQ, Ranchos Cocina, Rebecca's, Ritual Tavern, Sea Rocket Bistro, The Smoking Goat, Splash Wine Lounge & Bistro, Starlite, Station Tavern, Toronado, True North Tavern, Uptown Tavern, Urban Solace, Vagabond and West Coast Tavern.

Guests can purchase a handmade ceramic chili bowl for $20 at the San Diego Ceramic Connection. With the bowl and a wristband, you’ll score five tastings from the restaurants of your choice. The bowl purchase also gets you unlimited community chili found in the “Chili Abbey” behind the SDCC. Plus, you can make your voice heard by voting for the People’s Choice restaurant winner.

This year’s beer garden will feature brews from Ballast Point, Green Flash, Karl Strauss, Pizza Port, Rock Bottom, Stone Brewing Co. and Thorn Street Brewery, plus wine from Fallbrook Winery. The SoNo Park Holiday Fest is an all-volunteer event and proceeds from the event will benefit the McKinley Elementary art and music programs.

For more information on the SoNo Holiday Fest & ChiliPalooza, visit sonoparkholidayfest.com.

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