Come and Enjoy a Truly Chilli Adventure!

During Summer in Port Elizabeth, things really spice and warm up. What better time then to have a Chilli Festival!

Chili peppers and their various cultivars originate in the Americas. Today they are grown around the world because they are widely used as spices or vegetables in cuisine as well as medicine (e.g. To treat arthritis pain). Interestingly, the substances that gives chilli peppers their heat is capsaicin and several related chemicals, collectively called capsaicinoids. Capsaicin is the primary ingredient in pepper spray. The “heat” of chili peppers is measured in Scoville units (SHU). Bell peppers rank at 0 (SHU), jalapeños at 3,000–6,000 SHU, and habaneros at 300,000 SHU. The record for the hottest chilli pepper is assigned by the Guinness Book of Records to the Red Savina Habanero, measuring 577,000 SHU! However the Dorset Naga pepper is said to be over 3 times as hot as the Red Savina pepper, at 970,000 SHU!

If you like things hot, come and enjoy the Chilli Festival which will be held at the Andrew Rabie High School Sports Grounds behind Greenacres Shopping Centre on Saturday, 24 February.

You will have ample opportunities to taste delicious food, shop and witness some exciting competitions.

There will be food stalls, plants and many other interesting chilli-related stalls. In addition, there will be a few surprise appearances by celebrities, ‘hottest’ contests as well as a few competitions.

Exciting competitions will include: Best Stall Competition, Best Food Competition, Best Chilli Sauce Competition, Best New Chilli Product as well as Best Chilli Grower.

Chris Turner will educate everyone on “Growing Chillies”. There will also be an “Up & Coming Chefs” Cook-Off performed by aspiring home chefs and a Salsa Competition. Famed cookbook author, Heidemarie Vos, will reveal her HOT Chilli Secrets “RED WOK” Cooking Competition and other awesome attractions will include line dancing, Latin, belly and Indian Dancing all done in fun ‘Bollywood’ style.

If you think you can handle large amounts of HOT chillies then definitely aim for the Guinness Book of Records in the Chilli Eating Competition!

Come and experience chilli spiced street foods from all corners of the world, homegrown chilli plants and seeds, homemade spice mixes, relishes, pickles, sauces, oils, marmalade, salsas, chilli tequila & other chilli spiced tipples!

Besides chillies, there will also be wine tasting by Varsity College Hospitality Students, clowns, face painting, jumping castle and hair spraying.

For just a R10 entrance fee you can experience a truly entertaining and fun day of tasting, shopping, dancing and even competing. Spice up your day and come to the Chilli Festival!