Wandin is about to turn up the heat with the 2025 Herb + Chilli Festival returning with a fresh lineup of flavours and fun.
Set in beautiful Wandin, the two-day festival runs from March 15th to 16th and promises a mouth-tingling experience for every chilli lover. It offers spicy competitions, innovative food offerings, and nonstop entertainment in a one-of-a-kind festival to kick off your year.
This year the festival is promising a global culinary adventure under one roof with a large mix of food stalls that will take your taste buds on a journey around the world. You will be able to sample the bold and spicy twist on Vegemite with the festival’s new Vegemite Chilli by Chooks Hot Sauces. Durbalicious brings back the South African pickle stall, offering zesty pickles and over 70 vendors littering the festival grounds; there is truly something for everyone.
The chilli eating competitions return with the crowd pleasing Shot n Holler competition, inviting brave competitors to test their spice tolerance by skulling a shot of tequila, followed by a shot of super hot sauce and giving the crowd their best ‘Holler’. A new addition this year is for children and families with the Kids Sweet Corn and Sweet Chilli Eating competition, a fun and friendly challenge for younger spice enthusiasts.
Also returning this year is the cooking demonstrations with local chefs, who use the fresh herbs and chilli sauces around the festival to show you how to cook some new dishes. This year chef Sally Meaden and Juanita from Juanita’s Kitchen are on board to show us their best. It is always a highlight of the show seeing what they come up with, and worth hanging around to get a taste for yourself.
The festival also features a food truck area, where you can truly find something for everyone’s taste. A range of drinks, food, desserts and entertainment is set up in front of a stage with 6-piece band, Harmaniax returning to keep the good vibes rolling over the two days. The whole family can enjoy the day with a dedicated KidZone featuring face painting, jumping castles and pony rides – all included with your festival entry.
There is plenty of parking at the venue, although based on my experience over the last two years, I would get there as close to opening as possible as there can be quite a queue to get in. If you catch the train to Lilydale Station, there is a dedicated Chilli Express bus service to and from the event that makes the travel a breeze. You can purchase a ticket to the festival including the Chilli Express bundled together. If you are new to the festival, every purchase made on the official website gets a free chilli hat on arrival, the perfect way to keep the Yarra Valley sun off you for the weekend.
Over the last two years of the festival, I have had a fantastic weekend each time. Watching the chilli eating competitions, learning new dishes from local chefs, purchasing a ridiculously large amount of plants and herbs and being brave enough last year to try the red chilli ice-cream, it has placed this festival at the top of my event list for Melbourne every year.
You can purchase tickets, bus tickets and view more information via the official website HERE.
The Herb + Chilli Festival is on March 15 and 16 at 125 Quayle Road, Wandin North – nestled in the Yarra Valley.
