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Chili, Music fill the streets at 2007 Chilimania
Good weather, good music and good chili were the perfect ingredients
for another great Chilimania. The 18th annual Chilimania brought roughly 3,000
people to the corners of Henry and Canal streets on Saturday, Sept. 8.
“We had 58 chili cooks this year with 49 of them competing in
the Chili Appreciation Society International Cook-off,” said Vicki Brown, Chilimania
organizer. “This is the largest CASI cook-off for us to date. The cooks came from
seven different states – essentially far and wide – to participate in our little
festival!”
Chili cooks are a unique bunch taking pride in their chili as well as
their booths. Walking the booth area, it was easy to find booths with taken from M*A*S*H*,
a popular TV show; some were focused on peace where the cookers held “protests”
or there were the traditional “hillbilly chili” varieties. But at the end of the
day, it’s all about the chili.
“It always amazes me that though the competition may be fierce,
I know there’s a spirit of brotherhood amongst the chili cooks at Chilimania,”
Brown continued.
Balancing out the festival is a strong day of music. With three bands
and the Chili Idol contest on the stage, there was much to see and hear at the festival.
I can’t tell you how wonderful it is that every year we start
our entertainment day off with the Monday Morning Dixie Band,” said Dr. Tom Reitz,
Chilimania organizer. “These guys have been at every Chilimania and we have no desire
to change this in the future! In fact, we already have them booked for next year.”
New to Chilimania this year was the Chili Idol competition. Backed up
by the Hootenanners, a band from Chicago, contestants performed live karaoke before the
masses assembled to have chili.
“The crowds packed in to see this first-time event as our
hometown event unfolded,” Reitz said. “The Hootenanners told me that this was
the largest crowd they have ever performed for before. It was a home run hit.”
Pink Houses completed the entertainment lineup with their amazing
nonstop 3 hour tribute to John Cougar Mellencamp. This year saw Pink Houses yielding 12
members on stage blasting out hit after hit.
And while the chili and the music take center stage at this annual
event, none of it could be done without the cooperative community and the help of the
volunteers.
“My thanks go out to the community, visitors, cookers and the
Chilimania volunteers,” said Bruce Morris, Chilimania organizer. “Without their
help and cooperation, there couldn’t be an event like this each year in our little
town.”
Make sure to mark your calendars next year for the 19th
Annual Chilimania on Sept. 6, 2008.
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