901 Hot Wing Fest brings bold flavors for all to taste — and for a good cause
Wings, like the Burnin’ Love team’s mango habanero, are submited for judging in a blind box at the 901 Hot Wing Fest. (Courtesy Derek Fairchilds)
If you’re missing the crispy, flavorful bite of a New Wing Order hot wing, the 901 Hot Wing Fest could be your chance to get a taste.
The former food truck will pop up at the event Saturday, Nov. 7, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Grind City Brewing Co. as one of 20 teams competing and offering up chicken wing samples for the public.
Also potentially available to sample: a double-fried mango habanero wing from the Burnin’ Love team, a chipotle lime “Mother of Dragons” wing from Game of Bones or a “Gold Digger” honey gold wing from the Hold My Beer and Watch This team, which took home the People’s Choice Award last year at 901 Hot Wing Fest.
Burnin’ Love team member and festival organizer Derek Fairchilds joined me on “Sound Bites” to talk about the festival, chicken wings and the event’s beneficiary, the Memphis Child Advocacy Center.
The fourth annual 901 Hot Wing Fest will again be held at Grind City Brewing Co., as seen here in a 2023 photo. (Courtesy Derek Fairchilds)
Now in its fourth year, the 901 Hot Wing Fest is free to enter, but if you want a wing, you’ll need to make a buck or two donation. Unlike some other cooking competitions, this one doesn’t require you to have an “in” on a cooking team. Anyone can walk up to a tent, give a donation and sample one of several flavors and styles.
On the podcast, Fairchilds talked with me about the festival origins, the important mission of the MCAC and his involvement in the event and his wing team. Fairchilds is an attorney at NST Law, one of the 901 Hot Wing Fest sponsors.
We also got into chicken wing team names: Some are Memphis-centric (Cluck if you Buck), some punny (shout-out Fellowship of the Wings) and others a little more, well, spicy (Mother Cluckers). We talked about hot wings as a Memphis thing, Nashville hot chicken and honey gold.
Derek Fairchilds (back left), pictured here with his Burnin’ Love wing team, joined Holly Whitfield to talk about an event he helped start and organize: 901 Hot Wing Fest. (Submitted)
Not into chicken wings, spicy stuff or beer? There will be several other food trucks, wine, seltzers and nonalcoholic options at the family-friendly event. More information is available the website or on Instagram.
Watch or listen to the full episode below.
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Derek Fairchilds 901 Hot Wing Fest Grind City Brewing Co.Holly Whitfield
Holly has more than 13 years of experience in publishing and digital content, including 10 years at the helm of the I Love Memphis Blog. She began her career at The Commercial Appeal and is author of Secret Memphis.
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