Chilli Fest fired up for 2021
Region’s hottest sauces, chocolate and beer on show
FRESH off its Australia Day win for community event of the year, the Murphys Creek Chilli Festival will give its fiery fans a double helping.
The festival now runs biannually, with the first 2021 event held on Sunday.
Co-ordinator Jason O’Connor said the vendors and fans wanted more.
“For a lot of the vendors, these festivals are the only time they can interact with their customers,” he said.
Patrons will be treated to hundreds of varieties of hot sauces, chilli chocolate, chutney, jerky, salami and spicy salt – each prepared by dedicated artisanal producers from across Queensland and New South Wales.
In addition, there will be a huge range of food trucks along with a beer garden serving up ice cold, chilli-inspired beer and cocktails.
Each year the festival donates its earnings to a charity and Mr O’Connor said Murphys Creek Wildlife Rescue Rehabilitation & Education Association, Rural Aid and Young Kings would get the nod after Sunday’s event.
“Hundreds of charities come to us every year, but we thought, with all the development going on, we’d support the wildlife carers,” he said.
The event will have an Easter theme – complete with chilli hot cross buns – and the signature chilli eating competitions will make a return, with two events for kids and four for adults.
“They require a death waiver,” Mr O’Connor said.
There are unconfirmed rumours that Lockyer Valley Mayor Tanya Milligan has committed to at least one of the competitions.
THE MURPHYS CREEK CHILLI FESTIVAL RUNS FROM 10-4PM, SUNDAY, AT 16 JESSIE LANE, MURPHYS CREEK.