Bring your best chili recipe to Batavia for cook-off

Show off your cooking skills at the 27th annual State Championship Chili Cook-Off Saturday, July 27, in Batavia!

Don't want to compete? Come to eat! Tasting spoons are available for a $5 suggested donation. Or come on down to the Riverwalk to beat the heat with the Chili Cool-Off activities.

To enter the competition, register in advance at bataviaparks.org.

There are four competition categories: Illinois State Championship Cook-Off (CASI) for $25; traditional chili division for $25, free to CASI chefs; the new junior division for $10; and the new nonprofit/community organization division for no cost.

Setup will begin at 7 a.m., followed by registration at 8 a.m. The head cooks will meet at 9 a.m., with the CASI Chili turn-in at 1 a.m. and preliminary CASI judging at 1:15 p.m.

At 1:30 p.m., the community and chili junior tasting will continue, while supplies last.

At 2 p.m., there was a free hot sauce tasting competition, followed by a free watermelon-eating contest at 2:15 p.m.

The free Fire Hose Challenge begins at 2:30 p.m., and the awards ceremony will begin at 3 p.m.

Concessions will be available courtesy of Bernie's Bully Dogs.

For details, contact Brittany Bruno at (630) 879-5235 or brittanyb@bataviaparks.org.

This event is offered in partnership with the Batavia Chamber of Commerce and Chili Appreciation Society International Inc.