Chilifest brings heat to late summer
By ANITA FRITZ
Staff Writer, The Recorder, September 11, 2019
SUNDERLAND — While temperatures start to cool as fall approaches, things will heat up again this weekend at Kitchen Garden Farm’s Chilifest.
The annual festival will be held at Mike’s Maze, 23 South Main St. on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 14 and 15, from noon to 5 p.m.
“It’s pepper season,” farm co-owner Caroline Pam said — she owns the farm with her husband, Tim Wilcox. “We’ll be releasing new products. This has turned into the valley ’s hottest fall festival.”
Pam said the peppers are “truly amazing” this year. They’ve grown more than 100 varieties of chilies, and she said they can’t wait to share them.
“We’ve been busy the past few weeks processing thousands of pounds of peppers, tomatoes and tomatillos for this year’s batch or sriracha and salsa,” she said.
The festival will feature music by Old Flame, The Big Takeover, Izzy Heltai, Eli Catlin, Burikes, Dez Roy,
Honey Cutt and ZoKi. There will be plenty of spicy food, Pam said, from places like Little Truc, Braise Worthy and BerkShore, along with sweet and spicy treats from Crooked Stick and Bart’s Ice Cream.
There will also be pickle making, chili roasting, screen printing, button making and fun for all ages. There will be a
chili cook-off on Saturday from noon to 3 p.m. and a hot sauce competition on Sunday from noon to 3.
The cost for a day pass is $10 for adults and $5 for children. A weekend pass is $15 for adults and $8 for children.
For more information, visit: bit.ly/2kA1lC1.
Reach Anita Fritz at 413-7720261, ext. 269 or afritz@ recorder.c o m .
