Chili cook-off in downtown Kilgore

In Texas, chili is a many splendored thing and aficionados will make their way to downtown Kilgore tomorrow for one of the, if not the, biggest cook-offs in East Texas to have a lot of fun and raise a lot of money for a worthy cause.

Three thousand or more Kilgoreites and friends will venture to the World’s Richest Acre to feast on approximately two tons of homemade chili as part of the effort to make money for the Kilgore Community Crisis Center.

At least 70 chili teams have entered and the cost of admission to taste as many as possible is only $5 per person. Drinks are extra and sold exclusively by the Crisis Center.

Gates open around 9:30 a.m. and tasting begins around 11, after teams submit their chilis to the official judges’ table at 10:30 a.m. Then it’s up to the public to taste and vote for their favorites, with the top three earning the coveted People’s Choice awards.

The chili area will be closed to the public on Wednesday night and anyone not part of a cook team will not be allowed inside the gated area until Thursday morning.

Wristbands will not be sold at the gate on Wednesday night, but they will be available Thursday at the two entrances to the cook-off, one on East Main at Commerce and one on North Kilgore Street at North Street.

The wristband allows the buyer a chance to cast five votes for the People’s Choice award. Three places — first, second and third — will be awarded this year, along with trophies for the top five judged chilis and three awards for showmanship. Awards will be announced at 12:30 p.m.

Traffic on Commerce, between Main and Sabine, will be rerouted beginning Wednesday morning and only chili cooking teams will be allowed in the area to set up their booths.