STATESBORO, Ga. (WSAV) — The Annual Chili Fest is bringing warmth and cheer to the Statesboro community this holiday season as dozens of local businesses and organizations compete to see who has the best secret recipe.
Reigning champions Michele and Brian Smith are back this year, hoping to defend their title.
“The pressure is on,” Michele Smith with Ogeechee Steamers said. “There’s always the extra stress of that. I mean, it’s fun, and we’re still in it for the fun.”
This year’s event comes with some changes. After a threatened lawsuit led to the sudden cancellation of the city’s First Friday events, community members stepped in to ensure Chili Fest continued in a new format.
“This has always been one of my favorites, and it’s really important to the community,” said Lynn Ivey, president of the Bulloch Humane Society. “That’s one of the reasons that we wanted to do it and not let it go away. It’s changed a little bit, but it’s still pretty much the same premise.”
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Unlike previous years, when the festival blocked off downtown streets, this year’s event takes place at the Statesboro Farmers Market location. However, the essence of the celebration remains unchanged, and chili tastings are still free to the public.
“Statesboro and Bulloch County have been through so much with the hurricanes,” Ivey said. “We wanted everybody to come out and have a good time and not think about what we’ve been through the past few months.”
Competitors told News 3, the key to winning isn’t to keep it simple. They said the best "secret ingredient" is time.
“It’s time-consuming,” Smith said. “It needs to sit, and all the spices need to mingle to make it taste better.”
The Chili Fest runs until 9 p.m. tonight. Visitors are encouraged to arrive early to sample the most popular chili before it’s gone.