Chili cooks: How hot is your batch?
By News-Argus Staff
Published in News on February 6, 2017 6:48 AM
MOUNT OLIVE -- Calling all chili cookers.
The N.C. Pickle Festival will again host a homestyle chili cookoff during its 31st annual event Saturday, April 29, in downtown Mount Olive.
Presented by First South Bank and the Goldsboro News-Argus, the chili cookoff will be sanctioned by the International Chili Society.
The winner will be eligible to advance to the ICS World's Championship Homestyle Chili Cookoff as a North Carolina homestyle regional champion.
Teams will also compete for cash awards in people's choice and showmanship categories.
Prizes include $300, $150 and $75 for the main competition, $300 for people's choice, and $75 for showmanship.
The cookoff will be held at the corner of East James and North Center streets from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Saturday, April 29.
Cook teams will begin setting up that morning at 7 a.m.
Homestyle chili, as defined by ICS, is simply the cook's favorite combination of ingredients resulting in a dish seasoned with chili peppers and spices.
All chili for the competition must be prepared on site the day of the N.C. Pickle Festival, but cooks may prepare their people's choice chili in advance to serve throughout the day.
Applications, which are now being accepted, can be found online at www.ncpicklefest.org, at the Mount Olive Area Chamber of Commerce, or at First South Bank in Mount Olive or the News-Argus, 310 N. Berkeley Blvd., Goldsboro.
The application deadline is Friday, April 14.
"We had a great time with the chili cookoff last year," said Julie Beck, festival co-chairman. "We had six very competitive teams participate in our first ever event, and the chili was great."
ICS rules require a minimum of 10 teams in a competition to ensure sending a regional champion to the World cookoff, and Ms. Beck said the festival is hoping to build on last year's success to line up 10 teams for the 2017 event.
"Everyone had a great experience, and we learned a lot that should make for an even better event this year," Ms. Beck said.
The idea for the chili cookoff came from Jamie Grady, who has competed in some chili competitions and brought the idea to the festival in 2016.
Grady will again lead up the event this year.
"We are grateful to have Jamie back on board with us as the cookoff chairman," Ms. Beck said. "He has a lot of passion for this event, and great energy."
For more information, contact Jamie Grady at 252-361-2314 or jamie_grady28365@yahoo.com.
The North Carolina Pickle Festival draws tens of thousands to downtown Mount Olive every year. The festival is set for Saturday, April 29 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
For complete details, go to www.ncpicklefest.org