Chili Cook-Off & Brewfest -Fundraiser coming to Madison
By Tami Stevenson
Madison, Fla., – Chili lovers, craft beer connoisseurs and event goers mark your calendars for the first Chili Cook-Off & Brewfest event at Lanier Field in Madison, February 18, from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. This inaugural fundraiser will include live music, vendors, dog demonstrations and more.
Forgotten Coast Canine of Madison, along with the Madison County Chamber are sponsoring the event. Madison Chamber Executive Director Jennifer Poore felt it was a worthwhile cause and decided to team up with the canine organization, wanting to bring more events into Madison.
Poore took over as executive director last year and said, during a phone interview, that she is always looking for ways to promote more events in Madison.
Forgotten Coast Canine Owner Chris O’Brian said 75 percent of the proceeds will go to benefit Forgotten Coast Canine, a non-profit organization in Madison, established to help provide highly trained service dogs to veterans and first responders, and 25 percent of the proceeds will go to the Madison County Chamber of Commerce.
Cash prizes plus a chili bowl trophy will be awarded in three categories: a fan favorite award, a judges’ best overall chili award and a judges’ scorcher award.
O’Brian said, “I like chili so hot that I shouldn’t eat it because I’m sweating, but it tastes so good I can’t stop.” So they decided to have an award for the hottest chili as well.
A $5.00 ticket gets the bearer unlimited chili samples and an opportunity to vote for their favorite. A $25.00 ticket gets unlimited craft beer samples plus unlimited chili samples. Chili sampling starts at 1:00 p.m. and craft beer samples begin at 3:00 p.m.
O’Brian added, “Black Hawk Down representatives will be at the event, if you have a copy of the book, bring it and they will sign it.”
If anyone would like to enter their favorite chili into the contest or obtain a vendor booth space, call 850-973-2788 by February 14 to sign up.
Dog demonstrations will be held at the Chili Cook-Off as well. -Forgotten Coast Canine Photo
