Best of the West Wing Fest featuring local businesses

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - KRDO 13's morning team joins the Best of the West Wing Fest in its "journey of the tastebuds," highlighting one of the festival's local competitors.

"The restaurant industry and small businesses. They need our help, and they need people to go to them so that they can continue to thrive," said Best of the West Wing Fest co-founder Maritza Aguilera.

One of those Colorado Springs small businesses is first-time competitor "Lebowski's Taproom." Themed after "The Big Lebowski," the taproom recently eclipsed its one-year anniversary. Also soon-to-be featured in the Amazon Prime reality TV show "The Blox," co-owners David and Monica Kowalski said exposure, like being in the wing fest, is the most important thing for a new business.

"That does give us an anchor into the community," Monica said.

The idea for the wing fest came from Maritza's husband, Flip Awesome Aguilera (Awesome is *literally* his middle name).

"I went to the Google and searched, 'When is the Colorado Chicken Wing Fest,'" Flip said. "Crickets. It did not exist."

"He's like, 'I can't live in a place that does not have a wing fest,'" Maritza said.

Lebowski's Taproom and all the other competitors will show off their wings at the third annual festival on Saturday, September 14 at the Western Museum of Mining and Industry. Everyone gets one free wing per booth with their ticket.