| Where: | Dorset at Stock Gaylard Estate near Sturminster Newton |
| When: | First Weekend in August (usually) both Saturday and Sunday |
| Time: | 10 am- 5pm with Chilli Eating 4pm both days |
Now well established in the foodie calendar for well over a decade, the Great Dorset Chilli Festival celebrates the variety of chilli products available today, with dozens of assorted artisan and craft stalls set within the spacious parkland of the small traditional country estate in the rolling countryside of Dorset. Pitched as the hottest festival in the county, there are cookery demonstrations and talks, lots of music and entertainments all day, chilli plant growing competitions and of course the Chilli Eating Contest which is the highlight of the afternoon. In the contest, ten brave competitors must chew and swallow increasingly hot peppers until only one contestant is left- the estate’s dairy farm provides milk to calm the heat of the chillies but once a sip is taken the contestant is out of the running. Expect sweat and spice-induced tears, and a quick exit from some of the participants!
Helpful Hints
It’s usually held over the first weekend in August. In 2025 it was on Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd August – 2026 dates are yet to be confirmed but likely to be 1st and 2nd. Chilli Eating Contests are held on both days.
It’s very well organised with ample free parking on the fields next to the festival enclosure, just off the A3030. Entry cost £12 per adult in 2025. If chillies aren’t to your taste, there are plenty of alternative foodstuffs available.
Click here for the event website: https://greatdorsetchillifestival.co.uk
amd Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/GreatDorsetChilliFestival
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