Great Dorset Chilli Festival 2023

Great Dorset Chilli Festival 2023

Details

** CANCELLED FOR SATURDAY **

We tried hard to make it happen, But the weather has been upgraded to a named storm. Your pre-purchased tickets are valid on Sunday, and tickets will be available on the gate.

Back at the new venue of Stock Gaylard Deer Park, near Sturminster Newton, with over 110 tradestands, the Great Dorset Chilli Festival is set to be the hottest weekend this summer. Locals and visitors will be able to visit the 2 day food festival celebrating the world of chilli peppers, from growing chilli plants and sampling chilli sauces, to enjoying spicy international street food and of course watching the chilli eating competition. However it’s not just chillies, so if spice isn’t your thing there is plenty of artisan food shopping to be done, plus homewares such as hand-painted ceramics to watercolours for the kitchen, to leathercraft and beautifully crafted wooden chopping boards. Much of the food available to take home or enjoy for lunch focusses on flavour rather than chilli heat.

Chilli eating competitions
Videos of the Great Dorset Chilli Eating Competitions have racked up millions of views on Youtube, but nothing compares to the atmosphere of watching it live. Often dubbed as the highlight of the day, the Chilli Eating Competition will be testing the limits of even the most hardened chilli-heads. Brave competitors will subject themselves to rounds of increasingly hot chillies, which they have to consume in their entirety before they progress to the next round. The last man or woman standing will be crowned the winner. Willing volunteers need to email info@greatdorsetchillifestival.co.uk to request an application form ahead of the event.

Live Music
Dorset skiffle heroes Quinns Quinney on Saturday, and cool vibes from Mother Ukers and Jamarca on Sunday. More bands to be confirmed. Of course the mariachi will be performing all weekend, and there will be stompin’ bluegrass with Big Joe Bone by the cider tent.

Cooking demonstrations
On Saturday we’ll be joined by celebrated chef and Dorset restaurateur Mark Hix, and on both Saturday and Sunday Mark Hartstone of La Fosse in Cranborne will be in the demo kitchen. Further chefs to be confirmed.

Talks on Growing Chillies
Everyone seems to have a chilli plant on their windowsill these days. Hear from the experts the top tips for getting the best from your chilli plants, with Joy Michaud who created the super-hot Dorset Naga, and Matt Simpson who was featured in the Daily Mail shouted curses at his plants to make them hotter!

Entertainment
Come and watch the amazing birds of prey flying displays at 2.30pm each afternoon, or try your hand at some circus skills. We’ll have fire shows, bouncy castles, mini quad bike ‘train’ rides, and facepainting, you can even have your caricature drawn.

www.GreatDorsetChilliFestival.co.uk

10am-5pm Saturday 5th Sunday 6th August
Well behaved dogs on leads welcome
No camping