Fourth Annual W’burg Chili Cookoff Saturday

Got a chili recipe that you think is the best in Williamsburg? Saturday is your chance to prove it and collect some prize money to boot during the Fourth Annual Williamsburg Chili Cookoff Contest.

“There is no cost to enter. Everybody is welcome to come down, try out the chili, vote for the best one, listen to some bluegrass music and just have a good time Saturday,” noted Williamsburg Main Street Manager Nannie Hays.

One change for the chili cookoff this year is that it will be held at the Williamsburg Civic Center rather than around the courthouse square where it had been held for the last three years.

The chili cookoff is part of a series of events planned for Saturday at the tourism center, including a community yard sale.
Saturday’s community yard sale will take place from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. inside the civic center. Set up will go from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Friday.

There will be a $5 fee per table, and proceeds will go to benefit the Williamsburg Kiwanis Club, which is sponsoring the event this year.

As of Monday afternoon, 110 tables had already been reserved, said Williamsburg Tourism Director Alvin Sharpe, one of the event organizers.

“All monies raised will help the Williamsburg Kiwanis Club fund projects to help the children of Williamsburg,” Sharpe said in a release.

The chili cook off will take place from noon – 2 p.m. Also during that time the Tad Paddle Bluegrass Band will perform at the civic center.

Hays said there would be $100 cash prizes and a trophy awarded for both first place in judge’s choice and people’s choice in two categories of chili: traditional red chili and home style chili.

“Traditional is no beans and home style can have beans,” Hays noted.

In the people’s choice category, the crowd determines the winner.

“In the judge’s choice, it is a blind taste test. They don’t know whose chili it is. You won’t know who the judges are. They will rate them and there will be a winner,” Hays noted.

Small individuals cups will be provided to the crowd for the people’s choice category.

Certificates will be handed out for honorable mention.

“We don’t make them cook it there. You cook it at home and bring it,” Hays noted.

Each contestant must bring five quarts of chili, which will be used for judging. Contestants are responsible for supplying all of their own cooking supplies, such as a crock-pot, ladle and extension cords.

Contest sponsors will provide an area for each contestant and electricity for the crock-pots or other devices used by contestants to keep the chili warm.

Hays said that eight cooks participated in last year’s chili cookoff and she is hoping to at least have that many again for this year’s contest, if not more.

“We are excited and hoping for a big crowd. It is a lot of fun. Everybody needs to come down to the civic center and see what is going on,” Hays added.

For more information about the chili cookoff or to reserve a table for the community yard sale call 549-0530.