Things are heating up in Bangor on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 September at the Chilli Festival! This two-day event is packed with exciting activities, live music, and plenty of spicy delights for chilli lovers.
Showcasing many different varieties of chilli plants from around the world, local food producers, an evening BBQ (ticketed), live music and lots of fun, the Chilli Festival will be held in the Bangor Castle Walled Garden.
The chilli plants are all locally grown by Habanero Steve’s, a Northern Irish artisan producer of hot sauce, chilli jam, relish and chutney. All shapes and sizes will be on display with a wonderful array of colour. See if you can find the hottest chilli, hitting an eye watering 2 million on the Scoville scale, a measurement of pungency (spiciness or “heat”) of chili peppers and other substances, recorded in Scoville heat units – let’s see if you can rise to that hot challenge!
What’s On
There will be cooking demonstrations showcasing creative uses of chilli, with local chefs and restaurants preparing dishes like chilli caramel wings, Thai coconut soup, and spicy corn ribs. A variety of vendors will be on-site, offering spicy treats and products, perfect for those looking to take home some heat!
The festival will also feature live performances from St Columbanus College Traditional Group, Boom Strutt Brass Band, and local favourites like Jackie Rainey, bringing everything from traditional Irish music to energetic New Orleans-style brass.
A key highlight of the festival is the Chilli Festival Evening BBQ on Saturday, September 14th. This ticketed event offers an open-air dining experience with chilli-infused BBQ dishes and live music.
For families, Sunday, September 15th promises a fun-filled day with face painting, balloon modelling, stilt walkers, and live music from Los Dramaticos.
For more details and to book certain activities, check out the official Visit Ards & North Down website.
