Before the smell of roasted peppers takes over Downtown Pueblo Friday, people put their chili and salsa making skills to the test Thursday.The annual Chili and Salsa Showdown kicked off festivities for the 30th Pueblo Chile & Frijoles Festival. More than 120 people participated in this year's event for the following: best red chili best green chili best salsa"Chili is my life," said Robert Romero with Romero's Cafe and Catering. "This is something we've been doing since the 70s and this is what we do. So, it means a lot to our community, to our state, and now that it's... getting to (be) know(n) nationwide... it's really an honor, you know, to to have that chili."News5 Meteorologists Alex O'Brien and Alan Rose were guest judges at this year's showdown. The festival starts Friday at 3 p.m. on South Union Avenue in Downtown Pueblo. A concert at the Pueblo Convention Center will kick off this annual tradition. Click here for everything you need to know about this year's event.