Yearly, long-term residents and nursery operators in ‘the valley’ in Wandin have a good time the Herb and Chilli Pageant. This yr it’s being held on Saturday 16 March and Sunday 17 March 2024.
The Herb and Chilli Pageant permits guests to find out about herbs and chillies, the right way to use them, the right way to develop them, how they match into our lives, and naturally, have a little bit of a style check and enjoyable alongside the way in which!
The occasion options talks from consultants and famend herbalists, cooking demonstrations and one of the best music and dance leisure to maintain the festivities going all through the day.
The spice competitors is ramped WAY up and the number of stallholders is excellent. Hailing from abroad in addition to the native Yarra Valley, there’s selection galore on what to do together with your day on the fest and that’s what we love about it essentially the most.
Even the anti-chilli fan will discover one thing scrumptious to style, attempt to purchase.
Upon entry, you’ll see the huge nursery stand taking satisfaction of place and a hilariously good yard chilli backyard show. I had no thought there have been so many alternative varieties!
Particular imports which are solely obtainable right here at this pageant, ones that include Scoville warning labels, the darkest of black skinny lengthy legs of chilli by to reds and inexperienced bells, with each different color, form and dimension in between. If you’re after one thing very specific, and these guys don’t have it, they’ll know the place else and when yow will discover the precise plant or herb you want.
Other than supporting native producers (which is one in all our favorite issues to do), you possibly can’t go previous the style exams at each stall slinging the whole lot from scorching sauce to spice rubs, dwelling marinated olives and spicy liqueurs.
The enterprise house owners are wholly passionate in regards to the meals they create from scratch with love. Most know their ingredient suppliers domestically, and a few even develop their very own merchandise.
Little Pink is impressed with the cheese tasting from Milgrove Dairy, however not a lot them being infused with Carolina reaper flakes. Imagine me, you wish to double-check earlier than providing these ones to your children!
Fortunately, there’s a number of water and ice cream readily available for the large and little children who would possibly get a bit of warmth shock.
In earlier years, there have been three separate levels across the venue the place you can go to get pleasure from watching the chilli-eating contests, the cooking demonstrations, the Peruvian folkloric dancers and Melbourne legends Inka Marka enjoying a conventional pan flute.
In 2023, to maintain a give attention to variety and multiculturalism, the pageant is ready to showcase expertise from throughout the globe, together with a wide range of music and stay leisure reminiscent of Mexican Wrestling, an genuine New Orleans-inspired nine-piece band, Steve Boyd’s Rum Reverie and a lot extra.
On high of this, a shock movie star chef will likely be gracing the 2023 Herb and Chilli Pageant cooking stage.
The meals contests run all day and have a number of heats, so if you happen to’re feeling as much as the problem why not enter your self and win some big chilli-themed prize packs?
There’s additionally an enormous children’ zone that’s certain to maintain the younger ones entertained for hours. The realm contains Pony rides, face portray, a petting zoo and leaping castles. The perfect half about all of it is that completely the whole lot right here is included with the youngsters’s free entry (children underneath 14 years are free!).
After we went to the pageant, our household loved the proficient face painters, two leaping castles and a petting zoo, roving performers, a circus faculty arrange with children’ actions and donkey rides. We did all of them, naturally, and the donkeys are our favorite.
The meals vans are plentiful with the common pageant fare, reminiscent of twisty potato sticks, Dutch mini pancakes and barbecue. After making an attempt one in all each number of olives obtainable Goldilocks begs me to take dwelling a jar of big kalamata olives which are so massive you possibly can solely match one in your mouth at a time!
The adults strive the jalapeno nachos that are completely to die for. We love that this can be a dog-friendly pageant; there have been heaps of pooches out having fun with the sunshine with their households, and boy did we get our fair proportion of pet pats in.
The Herb and Chilli Pageant is ideal for the die-hard chilli fan however fits us with little children simply fantastic. There’s a lot occurring that it’s laborious to see all of it, and the pageant runs all weekend.
Suggestions for Herb and Chilli Pageant:
- Carry your personal luggage, you’re going to want to hold dwelling all of your new spicy goodies;
- Parking is free, plentiful and effectively thought out;
- Go for a park up high closest to the gates to minimise paddock stroll time;
- Pre-purchase your tickets to keep away from traces on the day;
- Carry water bottles to assuage any scorching mouths;
- There’s an data tent and St John ambos on website;
- In case you get there early, you would possibly even get a chilli themed hat on entry;
- Buy tickets on-line and obtain a FREE Herb & Chilli Hat on arrival
- Youngsters actions are FREE.
Extra issues to do within the Yarra Valley with children
