The annual Herb and Chilli Festival is coming back to Wandin. Take a drive out to the Yarra Valley and discover over 80 different stallholders, explore over 20 different cuisines, and have fun with cooking demonstrations, entertainment and kid’s activities. This festival will take place on March 18 and 19. Will you be able to handle the heat?
Herb and Chilli Festival
Ever since it started in 2012, passionate growers and chilli enthusiasts have come together to celebrate the many herb and chilli varieties. There will be over 80 stalls to explore, with flavours from Mexico, Turkey, India, South America and more. Test your test buds with explosive dishes and products, like chilli wine from Disaster Bay Chilli, wood-smoked meats from Zuya African BBQ, and the famous Death Sauce from Blonde Chilli.
If you need some liquids to stay cool, wander over to the Beer Garden for local wines, ales, beer, alcoholic slushies and more. Of course, if you’d like to keep things spicy, there will be some interesting creations, like chilli beer, to discover.
If you’d like to improve your cooking, head to the Cooking Stage and check out some amazing chefs as they create their favourite dishes.
Take part in different challenges and events over the weekend. Eat spicy wings, take a shot of tequila with a side of hot sauce, join the chilli con carne cook off and join the ultimate Captain Chilli Competition. Fight through three heats, trying chillies from mild to painful. The winner will become the reigning Captain Chilli.
The Herb and Chilli Festival will have plenty of music and live entertainment, including Mexican Wrestling, and a New Orleans-inspired nine-piece band.
The kids will have heaps of fun too, with pony rides, an animal farm and face painting.
There is parking available on-site, but if you’d rather take public transport, you can with the festival’s Chilli Express Bus. This bus will complete trips from Lilydale Station every half hour from 9:30am to 4:30pm, and returning from 10am to 5pm. Bus tickets are $10 return.