The heat is on in Swindon this weekend for the town’s fourth chilli fiesta. SUE BRADLEY discovers why some like it hot

COME rain or shine, it’s going to be scorching on Wharf Green this Saturday when the Swindon Chilli Fiesta returns to town for its fourth year.

People with a penchant for peppers will be able to stock up on chilli sauces, jams, dips, chutneys, cooking sauces and chocolates made by independent producers.

They’ll be able to tingle their tongues with capsicum-infused drinks and chomp on barbecued meats while enjoying live music.

But the highlight of the event will start at 3pm, when the fiesta’s organisers turn up the heat and pit Swindon’s bravest against a line-up of hot chillies, with the last man, or woman, standing earning the right to stride around town wearing an exclusive ‘Chilli Titan’ T-shirt.

Organiser Alex Mustang says the competition will be akin to a gladiatorial scene from ancient Rome.

“It’s a question of inflicting pain on oneself and withstanding more suffering than your opponent, all for the pleasure of the spectators,” he says.

“They sit there and eat it, and scream a bit, then they come back for more.

“For some the chilli fiesta has become a pilgrimage, almost a cult.”

Those volunteering to put their tongues, throats and tums to the ultimate test stand to try everything from tiny bird chillis and Scotch Bonnets to Bullets, Punjabi Crackers and Rockets, before moving on to the likes of Nagas and Carolina Reapers.

“After the chillis start registering 100,000-plus on the Scoville Heat Scale it’s a case of literally watching them fall,” laughs Alex, a London-based graphic designer who organises pepper-themed festivals throughout the country.

It would seem that the Swindon Chilli Fiesta has tapped into a hankering for heat among people living in the town, with more than 3,000 expected to attend, but exactly what is it about the fruit of the humble capsicum that makes it so irresistible to thrill seekers?

Apparently around a third of the world’s population eat hot peppers on a daily basis – and have been doing so as far back as 7000BC - simply because they love the burning sensation they produce.

It’s all down to a compound called capsaicin, which attaches itself to a receptor on the tongue and tricks the brain into feeling heat.

This sensation is part of the plant’s defence mechanism to stop mammals from eating peppers but one which, with its accompanying adrenalin rush, many humans have grown to enjoy.

The pungency, or otherwise, of chillis is measured using the Scoville scale (SHU), which measures the concentration of capsaicin.

Among the world’s hottest is the Carolina Reaper, which measures 1,569,300 – that’s 500 times hotter than Tabasco sauce.

Close behind are the likes of the Naga Viper, the Trinidad Moruga Scorpion and the Seven-Pot Habanero, so-called because one pepper is hot enough to add a fiery taste to no fewer than seven large pots of stew.

Yet for some it’s not all about the burn: Matt Simpson has been growing chillies in his nursery in Wiltshire for several years, and while he enjoys turning up the heat, his personal preference is for many of the fruity flavours that peppers have to offer.

His favourites include Rocoto Red, which looks like a small sweet pepper but packs a punch, and Bulgarian Carrot, which is hot and fruity with the colour and shape of their namesakes.

Matt is a big fan of the Habanero, particularly Fatali, which is bright yellow and has a citrus overtone’; Fruit Burst, which has a fruity aroma and becomes hot when red and fully mature, and Trinidad.

Aji Pickled Frog has a good flavour and pickles well, while Hungarian Black tastes great and has striking fruit that matures from black to rich, deep reddish brown.

“The range of chillis is incredible, from tiny inferno-like balls of fire the size of a little fingernail, to superbly sweet, crunchy bell peppers up to a foot long,” says Matt of Simpson’s Seeds (simpsonsseeds.co.uk).

Back in Swindon, however, it’s all about the heat, with Alex securing some of the world’s hottest chillis to unleash on those willing to put their bodies to the ultimate test.

Competitors have to be older than 18, free of serious medical conditions and willing to sign a waiver before taking part.

At the same time he’s keen to encourage those attending to explore the world of the chilli and enjoy the food and drinks on offer.

“Get ready to be wowed and experience the full spectrum of flavours that these wonderful chillis provide,” he says.

“One of my favourites is the mouth-watering Chew Chew BBQ - you will love their tasty chilli meats and spicy fusions of sauces and it will leave you wanting more.

“If you’re thirsty, you can wash it all down with the exclusive chilli drinks, such as chilli mojito, chilli tequila beer and even chilli cider will be on offer.”

Alex ran his first festival in 2011 to help a friend breathe fresh life into a Sussex town and has gone on to replicate his winning formula to boost local economies up and down the UK in the years since then.

The Swindon Chilli Fiesta is organised alongside inSwindon BID and the organisation has been working with restaurants such as Nando’s, GBK, Coal & Grill and Prezzo to offer spicy dishes to tie in with the event.

“We are really looking forward to welcoming back the Chilli Fiesta to the town centre,” says Di Powell, chief executive of inSwindon.

“The festival is a real celebration of food, drink and music.

“The atmosphere is set to be sizzling and will showcase a variety of talented local singers and musicians.

“There is something for everyone and we hope visitors get to experience the spicier side of life.”

The festival starts at 10.30am and is free to enter.

For more information visit www.chillifest.net, www.swindontowncentre.co.uk or follow @chilli_festival on Twitter.

The event will be livestreamed through inSwindon BID’s Facebook page throughout the day.