Where: West Dean Gardens, Chichester, West Sussex PO18 0QZ
£: See www.westdean.org.uk for prices
What is it?
The Chilli Fiesta is an annual celebration of the chilli with talks, stalls, music, dance, cocktails, and demonstrations.
This year’s event promises to be bigger and better than ever with live music from Mano de Dios throughout the weekend and longer opening hours on the Saturday. There will also be music from Latin Fiesta, Mandy Todd (who plays a custom-built electric violin) and the Chichester Brass Band. Other entertainment includes a pair of stilt-walkers, ballrooms dancers, and belly dancers who will show you how to shake your stuff.
This year also includes Hire the Barman with cocktail demonstrations (including chilli of course), and for beer lovers there is a homemade chilli & orange ginger beer. Rosemary Moon, West Dean’s resident cookery expert, will also have some creative uses for chilli to demonstrate and find out why flavour is important with renowned chilli breeders Mike and Joy Michaud.
More info: www.westdean.org.uk