Orland Park's Chilly Willie Chili Challenge returns | Courtesy of Shutterstock
Orland Park's Chilly Willie Chili Challenge returns | Courtesy of Shutterstock
The village of Orland Park will host the annual Chilly Willie Chili Challenge at 2 p.m. on Jan. 28.
The International Chili Society (ICS) and Chili Appreciation Society International (CASI) sanctioned event will be held at the Orland Park Civic Center, 14750 S. Ravinia Ave.
“Orland Park’s Chili Challenge is a big attraction because we have more than 20 competitors all in one room with many of them being from other states,” Orland Park Mayor Dan McLaughlin said. “We welcome everyone to come vote for their favorite chili and volunteer to help judge the competition if they want to be a part of it.”
Only ICS members can compete in the ICS competition, with a traditional red chili, chili verde or salsa. In addition to the ICS and CASI competitions, the 2017 competition offers the OP Craft Chili contest.
Amateur adults and students ages 14 to 22 with valid student ID can participate in the craft chili contest. Applications for the three competitions are found online. Entry fees vary, depending on the competition.
The spectators' entry fee of $5 allows them to enjoy all-you-can-eat samples of the three chili types beginning at 2 p.m. Each competitor must provide at least one gallon of chili for public tasting.
“People who want to buy tasting cups to sample the chili should arrive as close to 2 p.m. as possible because this is a very popular event,” Recreation and Parks Committee Chair Pat Gira said. “It’s amazing to see how many different types of chili we have each year.”
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