If it’s the first Saturday in February, then the LEAP Ambassadors are at the Chilly at the Lodge–along with, as it turns out, much of Huntsville! With numerous vendors, almost 100 bowls of chili available for tasting, and tours of the lodge available, there was quite enough fun for everyone.
The central feature of the event is a chili cookoff recognized by the International Chili Society. In fact, on hand to guide the judges was Don Cullum, an SHSU Alum and the 2024 ICS Homestyle Champion.
And under the guidance of Karla Christian and the entire Josey Scout Lodge Foundation Board, Cullum and the “celebrity judges” helped select the winning contestants in the categories of (1) Homestyle, (2) Traditional Red, (3) Chili Verde, and (4) Vegetarian Chili. In addition, chili enthusiasts could opt to compete in “community adult” or “community youth” categories. (See categories and rules here).
Even casual attendees can participate in the judging by filling out their “community ballots,” voting on their favorites as they roam the chili booths on the Josey grounds.
On those grounds were vendors from the region, with items such as t-shirts, objects of art, tamales, spices and herbs, and other goods for the curious shopper.
The real attraction, however, was the chili on the grounds. Cooks from all over the United States were on the grounds, offering samples of their chili. For five dollars, visitors can get six tickets, each of which is a ticket to a booth. Or, for more hearty eaters (which applied to at least one of the LEAP visitors), a $20 armband can provide an unlimited number of tickets.
The event organizers also provide entertainment for visitors in the form of music, with more than a dozen musical acts on hand for performances throughout the day.
But the serious work is the judging, where community members assess the chili cooks’ entries, and this part of the process takes two days, Saturday and Sunday.
With dozens of entrants–including six world champions–it’s a competitive process.
Organized by Leanne Woodward and overseen by Don Cullum, the process worked smoothly.
Moreover, the winning contestants in each category have the opportunity to go on to the ICS World Championship in Myrtle Beach later this year. Accordingly, Cullum and others identified the winners…
…and put the scorecards on a color-coded score board.
Two of the LEAP Ambassadors were judges, and we enjoyed the opportunity to judge the chilis.
For us, it is an opportunity to explore our culinary interest, meet new people, spend time with friends and community leaders, and, of course, to support a good cause.
Of course, with such a long day, some would inevitably get tired and thirsty…
But we held up well and greatly enjoyed the event.
Many thanks to the Josey Scout Lodge Board for hosting such a wonderful event!
Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics 