It’s Chili Time Wichita!

Wichita’s Windwagon cannon will sound promptly at 9 a.m. on Saturday, September 28, signaling the chili competition is on, and it’s time once again to ignite the chili burners on the streets of downtown Wichita!

The Wichita Wagonmasters Downtown Chili Cookoff has been a Wichita tradition for over 30 years, with approximately 80 teams from Kansas and surrounding states competing for top honors. It is estimated that over 10,000 attendees will purchase their $5 chili tasting kits and be ready with spoons in hand to sample a wide variety of chili and salsa. The event starts at 9 a.m. and when the cannon sounds again at noon, the chili can be served and the tasting begins.

Chili teams compete in eight different categories including Traditional Red Chili, Chili Verde, Chili for Charity, Chili for Restaurants, No Beans About It, Anything Goes and Salsa. Over $5,000 in prize money is awarded with the top prize set at $1,000. In addition to the culinary skill that goes into the chili, judges will also add points for booth design and overall spirit. All teams are also automatically entered in the Mike Moore’s People’s Choice Category, whose winner is determined by festival goers. One bean is included in each tasting kit and the booth who receives the most beans wins.

‘There’s no better party for five bucks in the city of Wichita!’ — Andy Smith, Wichita Wagonmaster

To spice things up, festival goers won’t want to miss the Pepper Eating Contest that starts at 2:45 p.m. The brave contestant who eats the highest volume of peppers humanly possible in a five-minute timespan will take home a $500 cash prize. Prizes and awards will be presented to the tastiest winners at 3 p.m. Other events include the Wichita Wagonmaster 50/50 raffle, live music by Jet City, bands, kids’ games, local beer and drink vendors, plus the Wagonmasters will be doing what they do best: grilling up hamburgers and hotdogs.

This event wouldn’t be possible without the tremendous sponsors throughout Wichita who will have competitive booths and teams at the cookoff. This event is certainly not possible either without the hard work of Wichita’s Wagonmasters. With a membership of over 100 men, the Wagonmasters volunteer annually at hundreds of local events and are famously known for showing up with their grills and cooking up whatever is needed to help make every event a success. 

Since the Wagonmasters took over the chili cookoff in 2005, the event has grown tremendously in popularity and size, and is the primary funding arm for their Good Life Grants program. Good Life Grants was established in 2012 with the sole purpose of providing funds each year to local nonprofits in need. The Wichita Wagonmasters purpose is “to promote and sell the good life in Wichita.” Certainly more people can enjoy the good life in Wichita, thanks to these men and their investment in our community.

Come on out and join in the fun on Saturday, September 28! Although the chili tasting starts at noon, come out early to enjoy all the activities, plus some booths will begin running out their tasty chili just after a few hours. And it may not be too late to enter your recipe and team! The entry form, deadline and rules, plus event and raffle information, is posted at wagonmasters.org.