The East Midlands Chilli, Beer and Artisan Festival is back, and promises to be better than ever.
Things are hotting up in Rolleston next weekend as a popular chilli festival returns.
The East Midlands Chilli, Beer and Artisan Festival is back from Friday July 12 to Sunday July 14, located on Chilli Bob's Orchard Farm on Fiskerton Road, and this year's event will and promises a fun-filled few days for all the family.
The festival is boasting a brand new attraction this year, as Mermaid Cove will be performing with a troop of mermaid stunt performers inside a 10,000 litre tank.
This works in with the children's activities, which this year has a mermaids and pirates theme.
The Chilli Eating Contest is back for this year's event, with ten different varieties of chillies ranging from finger chillies, to Scotch Bonnets to the Naga, the world's hottest chilli.
As well as over 40 stalls with hundreds of chilli-based food and drink, 17 local bands will be performing over the weekend, sponsored by CANNA UK, as well as a large bar provided by local brewery company Blue Monkey.
The festival opens on Friday at 5pm to 12 midnight, on Saturday from 10am to 1am and then 10am to 5pm on Sunday.
This year is the first time the event will be held without founder and much-loved public figure 'Chilli' Bob Price, who sadly passed away in April this year.
His son Neal confirmed that the festival would continue as his dad would have wanted:
“Everyone is doing OK, it has been quite tough and we've had to take a lot on, but I think we are almost there," he said.
"The weekend is going to be difficult for us all but I know this is what he wanted so have put a lot of time into the event and taken it to the next level and make him proud.
“The festival will be bigger and better than ever before and I know as a community of chilli heads we will remember him.”
Tickets cost £8 per adult on the gate, or £6 if booked online, and children go free. Guests can also camp for the weekend at a price of £14 per adult.
For more information, visit the website at www.em-chillifest.co.uk
