Gabbi Hall
For more than a decade, Reno’s rising food scene has celebrated a love of chicken wings at the Biggest Little City Wing Fest. And I’ve been lucky to be a “celebrity” judge for the past few years along with my fellow media and influencer friends in the area. The festival serves 20,000 lbs of wings over 2 days each summer (usually July) and it brings thousands of people to South Virginia Street in Downtown Reno. Watch this video from the 2025 event for Amazing America TV.
Tips & Tricks for Navigating Reno Wing Fest
- If you like wings, but hate crowds, get VIP tickets to the Chicken Coop. The wings and food come to you, plus cocktails and drinks included. There are tables and shade. Plus, they put you near one of the music stages, so you can enjoy the entertainment, too.
- Friday is slightly less crazy, than Saturday. If you can, come on Friday afternoon when there are lighter crowds and shorter wait times while still have access to music and everything else.
- Park in the El Dorado, Silver Legacy or Circus Circus parking garages, which you access on N. Sierra St. It’s free parking and if you need to leave your car there overnight and Uber home, you can leave it without worry.
- Or, just Uber there. Have your Uber drop you off at The Whitney Peak hotel for easy access. It’ll put you right near the Reno sign, Locomotive Plaza (where my favorite drinks are always being served) and at the start of the long rows of wing and snack vendors.
- While downtown Reno is undergoing a lot of work to clean it up and make it safer, it can still be a sketchy part of town. My recommendation: Don’t linger after dark. Don’t walk down any alleyways. For after-dark fun, head to midtown.
My Favorite Reno, Nevada Wing Fest Vendors
Every year, there are new flavors and faces cooking up wings downtown. But there are a few staples that always hit the spot:
- Slater’s Ding-a-Wing: Their buffalo garlic parmesan wing is 10/10. Not too spicy, but a nice kick and good flavor.
- FURY Hot Chicken: Their fried chicken is some of the best I’ve had. Mouth-wateringly good.
- Noble Pie: Okay, these guys aren’t at Wing Fest, but if you head down to Midtown, they serve up my favorite wings in town year-round. Late night, date night or lunch time, they are always amazing.
