This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.
02/19/2023 08:08 AMMark the calendar and start your appetite: The 26th annual Chili Fest is coming to Main Street from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 4.
Chili Fest is an annual tradition in Old Saybrook through which chefs compete for the title of Best Chili by winning the public vote. Ballots cost $15 and are available starting Monday, Feb. 27, for pickup at the Chamber of Commerce office at 1 Main Street and online on the chamber’s website. There will also be ballot stations along Main Street on the day of the event.
Voters must sample at least 10 chilis for a ballot to be counted. Ballots are then submitted to drop-off locations on Main Street. Votes are tallied that day, and winners are declared around 5:30 p.m.
Money raised will support the chamber’s Wilfred Hunter Memorial Scholarship, which provides scholarships to high school seniors. The chili chefs that get the top three votes get a donation made to a charity of their choice.
The event feature tables set up along Main Street with different chili variations to try. Judy Sullivan, the executive director for the Old Saybrook Chamber of Commerce, said the event is a big draw every year, bringing as many as 3,000 people to town.
“It’s a great way to get the winter doldrums out. It’s so great to see people outside; it’s really just a nice day every year,” said Sullivan.
Sullivan noted that attendees tend to get into a festive mood, and it’s not uncommon to see decorations or even chili necklaces on some people walking around.
“Honestly, I’m just really excited to bring that many people into downtown Old Saybrook,” said Sullivan.
The Chilli Fest has been a tradition in town for officially more than a quarter century. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was turned into a weeklong event in 2021 where people came into participating restaurants to sample chili there rather than the traditional setup of a one-day extravaganza. Organizers were extremely excited to bring back the normal setup for the event last year, and the public was too.
“We had over 1,000 pounds of compost last year after the event,” Sullivan said. Sullivan said the chamber uses a composting company and that food, cups, and napkins are all separated into their own bins. “We’re really trying for as little waste as possible,” Sullivan said.
For more information, visit oldsaybrookchamber.com/chili-fest