Brooklyn Botanic Garden's Chile Pepper Fiesta

New York's hottest fall tradition is sizzling in September…where the grooves are smoking, the chile peppers are scorching, and the dancers are calling for water! It's like a big Brooklyn block party fired up with "chile-head" attitude.

Music and Performances

• Hazmat Modine: A smoldering groove of blues, reggae, and gypsy sounds fronted by two harmonica masters;

• Barre Libre: New York's hottest Mexican indie-rock band blends the sounds of mariachi with the Velvet Underground and The Clash;

• Lost Bayou Ramblers: Back by popular demand, this band from Lafayette, Louisiana are considered by many to be the keepers of the flame of Cajun music's cultural past. The performance opens with an authentic Cajun two-step dance lesson;

• Robbins and Ringold: This duo of preeminent sideshow and circus masters promises to fire up audiences with chile pepper juggling, fire eating, and other daring acts of flame;

• Rana Santacruz: Accordion takes center stage in this spicy original spin on Mexican folk sounds;

• Yosakoi Dance Project 10tecomai: Traditional Japanese festival dance sizzles with contemporary flair;

• Peruvian Folk Dance: Nelida Silva demonstrates exciting and colorful dances from the Andes.

Film Screenings

• Rambler: The world premiere of this documentary film by Erik Charpenier features footage from BBG's Chile Pepper Fiesta and follows The Lost Bayou Ramblers on tour as they bring Cajun culture to the world. Followed by a panel discussion with the filmmaker and his subjects;

• Soy Andina: A documentary by filmmaker Mitch Teplitsky about two New York women raised in different worlds—an immigrant folk dancer from the Andes and a modern dancer from Queens, NY—who travel through the astonishing world of traditional dance in Peru. Followed by panel discussion with the filmmaker.

Exhibits and Demos

• Post-Punk Kitchen Gets Spicy!: Brooklynites and vegetarian TV chefs Isa Chandler and Terry Romano dish up spicy Latin/Jewish fusion cooking;

• "Fire and Ice": This extraordinary gallery exhibit designed by Japanese ice sculptors from New York-based Okamoto Studios features colorful ice-encased chile peppers from around the world;

• The Chile Goddess: The owner of chileplants.com, the world's largest selection of chile and sweet pepper plants, this leading chile pepper expert returns to answer all of your urban chile pepper gardening questions;

• Feel the Burn!: Bombay Emerald Chutney Company chefs show their secrets to deliciously spicy chutney-making alongside other red-hot cooking demonstrations and tasty food samplings from around the globe;

• Chile Pepper Sugar Art: Sugarworks, LLC confectioner Max Kitano demonstrates sizzling sugar creations.

For the Kids

• Chile pepper-inspired activities, performances, and Chile Pepper Fiesta tattoos; and

• Chile Pepper Fiesta: Spice It Up!: Kids and families get fired up for chile peppers! Children and families can drop by our hands-on exploration workshop to learn more about peppers, both sweet and hot. They'll roll up their sleeves and create a seasoning mix to take home, mild or spicy.

Chile Gifts

• The Chile Gift Express will have gourmet chile foods, chile-inspired gifts, and organically grown plants.

Tingle your taste buds with spicy food from around the world and cold beer.

All Chile Pepper Fiesta events are free with Garden admission. Major support for the Chile Pepper Fiesta is provided by Con Edison. The event will take place on Sunday, September 30, 2007, Noon to 6 p.m., at Brooklyn Botanic Garden. -- www.bbg.org