This Weekend in NC: We’re Celebrating Peppers and stuff

These days, there’s a festival for just about everything. Pickle parties. Bourbon bashes. Strawberry soirees. How on earth would a fig have a moment if it weren’t for something like Fig Fest to call its own? (Is there a fig fest? If not, there should be. Ahem, Fig Foundation.)

This weekend, it’s the great pepper going on parade. And for any of you saying, ‘how exciting can a pepper be?’ let me go ahead and stop you right there. Have you HAD a jalapeno spiced margarita lately? I mean… just stop.

But alas, we love our [FITB] Festivals. Because they’re fun! And they expose us to things we wouldn’t ordinarily be exposed to! And they let us focus on the little things. Which is why I love Abundance NC’s Pepper Fest. Never did I think the pepper could be purposed into so many different tasty treats. Last year, my fam attended this fest and were pleasantly surprised at the diversity of the pepper.

Left: Pork belly BLT with red pepper jam, from Fearrington House, at last year’s Pepper Festival. Almost too pretty to eat (but that didn’t stop me.) Right: Pretty heirlooms on display.

Here are the deets, if you’re interested in poppin’ off with some peppers this weekend:

Date: October 2

• 2–3 pm. Fashion Show
• 3–7 p.m. Food tents, food tents food tents! Sample food from 50+ chefs from around the Triangle, including those behind Boulted Bread, Big Spoon Roasters, Centro, Elaine’s on Franklin, Fearrington, Oakleaf, TOPO and more.
• 3:30 p.m. Kid Chef Competition
• Location: Great Meadow Park at Briar Chapel located at 185 Granite Mill Blvd. in Chapel Hill, N.C. Enter Granite Mill Boulevard from Andrews Store Road near Margaret Pollard Middle School and follow signs to the festival.
• Get your tickets in advance here.

I worked with the fine peeps behind the Pepper Fest for this post. All opinions and recommendations are my own.