Bartosz Luczak/iStock via Getty Images While some people avoid excessively spicy food, others seek it out. For heat fanatics looking to prove themselves, there are plenty of food challenges around the world designed for the sole purpose of testing diners’ pain thresholds. From dive bars to food festivals, here are 11 spicy food challenges that make competitors feel the heat. 1. Chili Pepper Festival’s Chili-Eating Contest // Hunan, China At this annual festival in China, guests have the chance to take part in a serious chili-eating contest. To participate, competitors must binge a plate of Tabasco chilies—which come in at between 30,000 to 50,000 Scoville heat units (SHU)—while wading in a pool of floating peppers. At the 2018 competition, which was held in China's Hunan province, Tang Shuaihui won a 24-karat gold coin for consuming 50 peppers in roughly a minute. The previous year's winner had eaten just 15 chili peppers.