Spice it up at Easton Market’s Hot Pepper Eating Competition

Editor's note: With the forecast calling for steady, heavy rain this Saturday morning, the Easton Farmers’ Market’s 14th annual Hot Pepper Eating Competition has been rescheduled to 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 21.

With chile peppers in prime season, the Easton Farmers’ Market will host its 14th annual Hot Pepper Eating Competition at 11 a.m. Sept. 23.

Two-time defending champion, Kelly Joel Myers (social media hashtag #watchmeburn), will try to make it three blistering wins in a row against other brave souls who willingly set fire to their tongues and torture their digestive tracts to reign as the captain of capsaicin.

A daunting, fiery challenge awaits competitors again in 2023: The pepper for the 10th and final round will be the hottest pepper in the world – Dragon’s Breath. Clocking in at a blistering 2.48 million Scoville heat units, it is 300 times hotter than a jalapeno and more scorching than the famed Carolina Reaper. Last year’s competition ended when Myers bested runner-up Matthew Leto after three tie-breaker rounds that included two Carolina Reapers; followed by two Dragon’s Breath; and then, a Carolina Reaper/Dragon’s Breath combination.

All of the hot peppers in this year’s competition will again be grown by Easton Urban Farm, part of Easton Area Neighborhood Center in Southside. Easton Urban Farm will have a fiery selection of peppers available at its tent for purchase.

Preregistration for the competition is required at eastonfarmersmarket.com/hot-pepper-eating-competition. Audience trivia for prizes will occur throughout the competition.

Guest Vendors for the day will be Fraktured Sauces, Kashmir & Ewe, Daughter of the Charm, Knot too Shabby, Antojitos Latino Restaurant, Isasuma, Easton Candle Co.

A program of the nonprofit Greater Easton Development Partnership, the Easton Farmers’ Market, presented by Capital Blue, is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday (May-December) at Scott Park along Larry Holmes Drive.

Free parking for Easton Farmers’ Market will be available in the two lots adjacent to Scott Park, thanks to Riverstar Properties and the Law Offices of Florio-Perrucci. Vendors accept cash, credit, Venmo, PayPal, checks and EBT. Visit eastonfarmersmarket.com for online ordering information for participating vendors.

EFM – as well as the West Ward Market and Highmark Farmstand inside Easton Public Market – welcome Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Additionally, Philadelphia-based The Food Trust (thefoodtrust.org) will double purchases up to $10 through the use of Food Bucks for fruits and veggies when shoppers spend at least $2 using SNAP at all three markets.

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