The Simon Kenton Chili Cook-off committee has dedicated the 14th annual event in Urbana on Saturday to the memory of Beth Adair, who led the committee for many years and worked tirelessly to ensure the event ran smoothly and everyone enjoyed themselves.
“Beth was always the first to arrive at 6 a.m. and the last to leave at 8 p.m. on Festival Day. You would see her dragging the last of the trash to the dumpster hours after everyone had cleared out,” said Audra Bean, committee member.
Adair’s favorite part of the day was the Dunk Tank. She came up with the idea originally, searched for the tank, and made it happen. She really enjoyed pumping the crowd and cheering the ones being dunked.
“This year, we are calling it the Beth Adair Dunk Tank in recognition of her love for it and the smiles it brought to so many faces through the years,” Bean said. “Always smiling, never complaining, she tackled every challenge that comes with producing a large event. We miss Beth and wish to recognize her years of service to the Chili Cook-off Festival and the community.”
Cook-off schedule
The 14th Annual Simon Kenton Chili Cook-off Festival on Saturday in Urbana will include music, games, contests, chili sampling and lots of great food. Not only will the day include the contestants vying for the first prize of $1,000 for the best chili, there will also be a hot pepper eating contest, Suck, Chew and Blow contest, best salsa contest, Dunk Tank and a corn hole tournament. In addition, you may vote for your favorite chili by purchasing “beads” for $1 – the winner will receive a “People’s Choice Chili” trophy and “bragging rights.”
If contests are not your “thing,” enjoy the Hoopla parade which will include a pet parade and the Dayton Antioch Shriners with their miniature vehicles and shop the downtown stores as well as the vendors lining Main Street.
Main Street north of the square to Church Street will be closed to vehicular traffic at 6 a.m. The street will open for the Hoopla Parade at noon and close again from 1 to 6 p.m. The emcee of the event, Taylor Armstrong, will coordinate all activities from the stage and entertain the crowd with spontaneous on the spot interviews. Bring your lawn chair and enjoy a day of food, fun and entertainment.
The Monument Square Event is made possible through the generosity of Sutphen, Bundy Baking Solutions, Urbana Moose Family Center 1215 and Orbis Corporation.
Schedule of Events
7-10 a.m. Vendors and Cookers Registration/Set-up – N. Main St. – Must enter through Church Street
7 a.m. – 5 p.m. Welcome/Information Tent Open – Opposite the Courthouse Stage – Court/Main Streets.
8 a.m. Urbana Fire Department sounds sirens for cookers to begin.
10:30 a.m. Deadline for salsa and applications to be turned in at Courthouse Stage
11 a.m. Judging of salsa entries on Courthouse Stage
Sale of People’s Choice Beads opens – $1 each or 12/$10 – Welcome Tent
11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Registration for Corn Hole Tournament – Limit 32 Teams
11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Registration for Suck, Chew and Blow Contest (limit 10 entries)
Registration for Pepper Eating Contest (limit 16 entries)
11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Beer Garden Opens
Noon Hoopla Parade/Pet Parade begins
1 p.m. – 4 p.m. Children’s area open – East Court Street
Dunk Tank Opens
1:30 p.m. Salsa contest winners announced at Courthouse Stage
2 p.m. Chili contestants turn in chili to judges (Masonic Temple)
Contestant chili samples available to public (free)
2 p.m. – 4 p.m. Live Broadcast 106.9 “The Bull” Radio station
2 p.m. Corn Hole Tournament Begins – W. Court St. – Behind beer garden
3 p.m. Suck, Chew and Blow contest begins – Courthouse Stage
People’s Choice balloting ends – Containers picked up by committee
3:30 p.m. Hot Pepper Eating Contest – Courthouse Stage
4:30 p.m. Announce winners of Chili Cook-off, Corn Hole Tournament, People’s Choice and Best
Decorated Booth
