The Espelette red pepper festival: food, music, and thousands of visitors

Each year at the end of October, the village of Espelette in the Basque Country celebrates its red pepper as the harvest season comes to a close.

The streets fill with music, markets and shared meals. Farmers hang long strands of peppers to dry on white facades, a familiar scene here.

The festival includes a large food and craft fair with regional products.

Basque musicians and dance groups perform in the main square, and on Saturday evening many residents join a communal dinner.

On Sunday, a mass is followed by the blessing of the peppers and a parade of food fraternities in traditional dress.

Local restaurants prepare pepper themed dishes for visitors. The event can draw as many as 20,000 people.