When it gets hot, the Oxnard Salsa Festival cannot be too far behind.

This year's 14th annual event is from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday in Plaza Park at Fifth and B streets. Admission and parking are free.

More than 40,000 people are expected to attend this year for food, music and dancing. Put on every year by the Downtown Oxnard Merchants Association, the event has some new events for 2007.

The "Salsa With Our Local Stars" dance contest features six local celebrities matched with professional dancers to compete at 1:15 p.m. Sunday in front of judges and the crowd. Besides bragging rights for their dance prowess, the stars will be measured by how much money they raise for the charity of their choice.

The local stars are Bob Allen, KVTA radio morning show host; John Crombach, Oxnard police chief; Gretchen Macchiarella, Ventura County Star Studio805.tv host; Nancy Rod-riguez, Q104-7 radio morning host; Santiago Romero, Q104-7 afternoon host; and Regina Ruiz, KEYT-TV field reporter.

"Tresierras Chile Kitchen" will feature food experts and professional chefs making tamales, salsa and chile recipes. The demonstrations will begin at noon each day and run until 5 p.m. Guest chefs include Michelle Kinney, owner and executive chef of La Dolce Vita; Suz Montgomery, chef and restaurant consultant; Cathie Moreno, owner of Cat in the Kitchen Catering; Janis D'Oni, owner of D'Oni Enterprises Specialty Sauces; and Kirk Parks, chef at Ventura Beach Marriott.

The festival has been featured on The Food Network.

"Salsa Art and Music Factory for Kids" allows children to participate in Tortilla Art and other salsa-inspired crafts. Held in the Kids Korner from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days, children will also be able to play a variety of musical instruments.

"Burn Your Buds Hot Salsa Challenge" is an attraction that heats up people's taste buds with the 10 hottest salsas at the festival. A $10 entry fee gets risk-takers into the contest. Survivors receive a souvenir beer mug and photo. It's in the Salsa Tasting Tent each day from 4 to 4:30 p.m.

Salsa and Latin jazz bands perform continuously on the Main Stage in front of a dance floor. Louis Cruz Beltran opens the festival Saturday at 11 a.m. Other performers include Orquesta Tabaco y Ron, Leslie Paula & the Latin Soul Band, Somos Son, Fay Roberts and Orquesta Charangoa, and Opa Opa.

"There have been a lot of changes in downtown Oxnard just in the last year," said Ruth Ballin, who is in her eighth year as festival director. "All of these new restaurants are opening. We put this festival on to bring people to downtown and showcase all of our businesses."

The salsa festival will have two international food courts with 25 vendors selling tacos, burritos, Mexican shrimp, spicy sausage, roasted corn on the cob, Brazilian barbecue and Thai food.

A new "snack attack" food court has been added to serve kettle corn, Dip and Dots, mini doughnuts, candied almonds and Hawaiian shaved ice. Additionally, there are two beer gardens that serve beer and wine margaritas.

The Salsa Tasting Tent stocks 500 gallons of specialty salsas made by local restaurants. There is a $4 per person charge to taste 50 flavors of salsa, with tortilla chips included.

Colorful crafts from around the world, festival T-shirts, posters and souvenirs will be on sale at the vendor marketplace.

On the Net:

www.oxnardsalsafestival.com