On Abingdon Market Place today the fourth Oxfordshire Chilli Festival took centre stage.

That attracted a number of stalls selling chillis and chilli sauces. There were also a number of other vans and stalls serving hot food, and …

for the first time, in Abingdon, rolled ice cream – a fine anti-dote to chilli.

There was some good live music,

and, to help you enjoy the music, cider from Somerset.

Then towards the end of the festival a very exciting chilli eating contest. Contestants were not allowed to drink, and were supplied with hotter and hotter chillis until the eight contestants

were reduced to two. The guy who had been so cool throughout, eating the chillis faster than anybody else, decided to leave, leaving it to the two ladies.

Last year’s winner, Shaheena was back against the pain again. Last year she was up against Anthony, who had to drop out in fourth place this year. He had not been too well last week so could not give it his best shot.

But after her rival reached for the cup of milk Shaheena realised she had won again.

The craft market on Abingdon Market Place this morning including all the usual craft stalls.
They were joined by the district council’s recycling team, giving out advice on what could be recycled. I also got a replacement food bin as ours went missing. It was easy to recognise as it has a stripe of pale green paint, and a hole made by sharp little teeth – a rat once escaped after getting locked in.

The Carbon Cutters were encouraging people to cut down on plastics, and had a fact sheet about gardening without plastics.

Added Ingredients were demonstrating their refill technology, which allows detergent, conditioner, and washing liquid to be refilled into empty bottles, cutting down on plastic waste.

The Local Excellence Market was on the Market Place today. There are four of these a year. The last one, three months ago, was threatened by snow.

It was the weather for strawberries and cream with Wimbledon only two days away.

The candle, and chocolate stalls had to cancel. It was so hot that their products would have melted.

Abingdon Country Market were there. They have a monthly market at the Salvation Army in St Helen’s Street on the 2nd Saturday of each month, and so the Local Excellence Market gave them two markets in June.

Also lots of people enjoying the Coffee culture here in Abingdon.

England’s last 16 match against Columbia is Tuesday evening as the World cup enters the knockout stage. The nails will be kept painted while England are still in the competition.

It will be an achievement of sorts for England to reach the quarter finals for the first time since 2006 – as remembered on this blog.