The wait is finally over! The 22nd Annual Chili and Soup Cook Off and 12th Annual Cupcake Wars are finally here. Mark off your calendar for this Saturday, Oct. 24, for a fun-filled event of tasting all you can eat chili and soup from 3 to 7 p.m. at New Baden Village Park.
This event will run, rain or shine, cold or warm. If you have an appetite for competitively made chili, soups, and cupcakes, come on by and give it all a taste and make your vote heard! Help organizers of the chili cook off crown this year’s 22nd Annual Chili and Soup Cook Off champion and 12th Annual Cupcake Wars champion!
The New Baden Chamber of Commerce is still looking for local chefs to enter their annual Chili and Soup Cook Off held this Saturday at the Village Park.
Cooks from far and wide have descended into the New Baden Village Park for the last 21 Octobers vying for the coveted taster’s choice award tied to the up to $10,000 in prize money offered by the group. There is still a $100 entry reward just for signing up. Organizers are still encouraging any teams willing to enter this competition to do so! Do not miss your opportunity to bring your best chili, soup, or cupcake to this competition.
Entry forms can be obtained from the Facebook event page, by contacting Teri Crane at tere
The event started in 2005 as part of New Baden’s Sesquicentennial Celebration, and has been returning ever since.
The event is set slightly different than other cookoff events in the area, in that it is strictly a taster’s choice event.
The only way to win at the competition is to garner a majority of the votes cast in the respective category. Those wishing to taste and ultimately vote for the best, purchase an all-you-can-eat taster’s arm band for $15 and receive a voting coupon for the best soup and for the best chili. If you are desiring to conquer your sweet tooth, for $6 you can receive a punch card for five cupcake tastings. Help organizers crown the best cupcake decorator and taster.
Competitors pull out all stops in an effort to gather votes, some don costumes to draw attention; others ring bells to tally the votes. The names of the concoctions tend to be as vivid as the chefs who prepare them. There are a slew of returning champions and close runner-ups with also a solid showing of other new and past contestants. The competition will be boiling up as they approach the last few days before Oct. 24.
Along with a financial reward to the winner comes a year’s worth of bragging rights. If judging by recent social media posts, it would seem that those bragging rights carry more value than the remuneration. Several teams have been heard around the area talking about a special or secret ingredient sure to put them on top this year. No matter who the winner, all entrants seem to enjoy the thrill of the chase as they try to out-seat the others.
But that out-seating is hard-fought. In many years past, the champions are decided by a mere count of votes. With what amounts to less than 5% of votes separating the top few finishers, the chili competition could scarcely be closer. For the competitors the event actually starts the night before when they pick their preparation and serving areas. Some teams begin to cook then; there are others that begin before the sun rises on the day of the event.
The event is to be held Saturday, Oct. 24, starting at 3 p.m., with gates opening at 2 p.m. Numerous other activities are planned; a craft and vendor fair, and live music beginning at 2 p.m.
The children are not to be left out of the fun with an inflatable bouncy house, corn pit, and Giant Jenga or Kerplunk. Voting ends at 7 p.m., and the night concludes with the awards ceremony and bonfire.
Come one, come all! Join the New Baden Chamber of Commerce on Saturday, Oct. 24 for the 22nd Annual Chili/Soup Cookoff and 12th Annual Cupcake Wars!
