Farnham’s Food and Drink Festival on Sunday was a sizzling success with people turning out en masse for a celebration of gastronomy. 

There were over 150 stalls at the combined food festival and farmers’ market. Stallholders showcased the finest local and international flavours with offerings ranging from ready prepared goods to take home through to freshly cooked street food. 

At the heart of the festival was the food theatre where chefs demonstrated how to cook delicious dishes and producers talked about their journey and the story behind their brands. Over at the Bush Hotel courtyard there were drinks demonstrations where mixologists conjured up fabulous concoctions for people to try for themselves.

For many, the highlight of the festival was the return of the infamous chilli eating competition which was once again hosted by Stephen Dixon from Hot Pods Chilli Products. He said: “What a spectacle! The crowd cheered as brave participants put their taste buds to the test by eating progressively hotter chillies. The winner, Mohammed, emerged victorious after managing to eat a primotalii chilli which measures 1.3-million on the Scoville scale and is considered to be one of the hottest peppers out there.” 

Mohammed was presented with a hamper of items donated by a variety of stalls. 

Councillor Kika Mirylees, Lead Member for Community says: “Sunday’s event was Farnham’s fourteenth Food and Drink Festival, and it continues to go from strength to strength. The festival attracted sponsorship from The Bush Hotel, Swish Fibre and Kidd Rapinet which meant we were able to provide an event which was jam-packed with non-step entertainment. 

“Thanks to the compering skills of Paul Evers, the day flowed nicely, and people were kept informed about what was happening. Overall, the festival was a great success and the music stages at the top of Castle Street and in the Bush Hotel courtyard added nicely to the festive atmosphere.”

The festival was complemented by the regular Farmers’ Market which happens on the fourth Sunday of every month in Central car park.