Frosts Chilli Festival - Woburn Sands

Bank Holiday Monday. Those are words to inspire both hope and fear into the hearts of anyone organising a public event in August. Will it rain or will it be hotter than the fire pits of Hell itself? It's always a toss of a coin and although this year we got rain, nothing could dampen my spirits because I knew I would be filling my belly with some delicious, fiery concoctions courtesy of Frosts Garden Centre and their Chilli festival.

And have I ever told you I love Chilli?

Frosts Garden Centre in Woburn Sands plays host to the event every year and spread over three days, I managed to persuade Mrs P, The Child and The Child's Sister to join me at the Mecca of Chilli as I visited on day three. Each day is filled with various events; although I would have liked to have seen a more clear event calendar giving times and days, bands (more on that later) and a Chilli eating contest as well as a huge marquee filled with a smorgasbord of different suppliers and producers. As we drove in through the rain we passed a tide of people walking to and from the entrance  which filled me with the joy that so many other people had braved the weather and turned out to test their Chilli limits.

I took home a few bits and pieces:

and tried quite a few more. Individual reviews will come later but there was some amazing products that I just couldn't resist and some fantastic producers that charmed me into trying something from them; Mushemi Fire, Paul's Pickles, P&D Artisan, Mello Mallo, Saxby's Cider and The Cherry Tree. 

However, we're here to talk about the festival itself and the joys it brought, and what rampant, care-free joys they were too. Please don't under estimate the amusement of explaining to The Child why we were watching grown men measure their todgers in a room full of friends, family and general well wishers by eating digestive tract destroying pellets of pure fire in vegetable form:

It was an epic battle between three leviathans of the extreme, absurd and needlessly painful eating world in which two fell by the wayside but Charles Naylor stood head, shoulders and an amazing beard above the other two contestants to take the admiration of the crowd as well as a disappointingly small cup. Well done Charles!

But pride of the day must be taken by the quite spectacular Mariachi band Beato Burrito, who were, quite frankly a. maze. ing.

Bad photo, sorry but I was too damn busy dancing. Hit after hit from the Bee Gees to One Direction all given a Spanish flavour to go with the peri-peri atmosphere. They had the whole family P up and gyrating, which, if you've ever had the pleasure to experience for yourself, is a seismic experience at the best of times.  

Finally, Mrs P asked me if I wanted to buy a Chilli plant to take home.

I refused being as I was full of pride and the warm Chilli glow, until I got back home and looked at my effort this year. Perhaps I should reconsider.

@beatoburrito
@yomellomallo
@mushemifire
@PDArtisan
@paulspickles
@saxbyscider
@cherrytreechilt

Watch this space...