By Casey Mann, Chatham News + Record Staff
Lyle Estill and Shannon McSwiney, crowned at last year’s PepperFest.
For the first time in its 12-year history, The Amazing Pepper Festival — better known as PepperFest — will be held in downtown Pittsboro.
Previously held at Briar Chapel, this year’s event will take place from 3-6 p.m. Sunday on Hillsboro Street in Pittsboro.
“People can expect a shiny, happy, beautiful festival,” said, Tami Schwerin, one of the event’s organizers. “The weather is scheduled to be perfect, the food, drink, education and entertainment exceptional.”
The event is sometimes noted as being one of the largest chef competitions in North Carolina, pairing culinary artists and local farms to create dishes featuring “locally-grown sweet, hot and smoky N.C. peppers.”
PepperFest is a production of Abundance NC, a local non-profit with the mission to educate the public about “local food, renewable energy, local economy and basic sustainability.”
“PepperFest chefs get super creative with their dishes, making everything from pepper ice cream to savory dishes and salsas, pepper gumbos and chili,” the event’s website reads. “Abundance NC supplies them with peppers from local NC farmers, supporting our local foodshed.”
PepperFest handmade awards will be given to best food and beverage at this year’s event.
The chefs will compete for the best pepper-themed dish before a panel of judges which include Roy Underhill, host of PBS’ “The Woodright’s Shop,” which is located in Pittsboro; chef Whitney Dane of Honeysuckle Tea House; LaShauna Austria of Benevolence Farm in Graham; Saltbox Seafood’s Ricky Moore; Sheri Castle, a Chapel Hill-based cookbook author; and Andrea Rice of IndyWeek. There will also be a competition for the best brew at the festival.
About 3,000 people are expected the event, which will include not only chefs, but local brewers, distillers, musicians and artisans. There will also be areas specially geared toward children with crafts and games for the family. Tickets range from $5 for children and rates for adults range from $35-$100.
“We at Abundance NC are blown away by all the help we are getting from the community to put this on! It truly is becoming a sustainable event,” Schwerin said. “It’s an afternoon of pure bliss of the senses. Smells, tastes, sights and I guarantee folks will be hugging and kissing each other.”
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