THE hottest festival on the South Cumbria calendar has been drawing in the crowds this weekend - offering chillies to tantalize the taste buds and others that can blow your socks off.
The two-day Holker Chilli Fest, which is attracting visitors from around the country and also overseas, is continuing tomorrow (Sunday) at Holker Hall.
The crowds are enjoyed delicious cuisine from specialist food suppliers, both local and from further a field, cookery demonstrations and live entertainment from the La Tinto Bros and the Taste of Cairo Belly Dancers.
The big event each day is the Chilli Eating contest in the courtyard, hosted by chilli reviewer Tony Ainsworth, aka Darth Naga. The watery-eyed challengers eat a variety of fresh chillies which start mild and gradually get hotter. When the contestants bow out of the competition they look forward to a cold glass of milk.
They might not have been part of the contest, but brave souls Jamie Southward, of Barrow, David Caldwell, of Walney and Gary Pennington, of Barrow, had tears streaming down their faces after sampling chilli fire spray, Kiss the Devil, and then world's hottest chilli sauce, Hell Unleashed, which is 5.3m Scoville heat units from Gerald Folwer of The Chilli Pepper Company, Cark.
Mr Caldwell, 42, said: "That was unbelievable. I eat a lot of hot food, but that is the hottest thing ever. My eyes are burning."
Garry Gifford, of street theatre group Bread and Butter Theatre Company, was entertaining the crowds as characters Monty Don's stunt double and Freda the dinner lady who was in the search for the perfect chilli.
Freda the dinner lady said: "It's a great festival there are people here from South America and even south Furness, these two are from an island called Walney."
Val and Bob Johnston, of Walney were having a good day when they bumped into Freda. Their favourite chilli dish is Thai crispy chilli beef.
Mr Johnston said: "It's the first time we've been to the festival and it's very good."
Jillian Rouse, of Holker Chilli Festival, said: "We are very pleased with the turn out and the great atmosphere here. The festival grows each year."
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