Kennett Jaycees Chili Cook-Off returns to "Fall Into Arts" Festival

The fifth annual "Fall Into Arts" Festival will welcome the Kennett Jaycees Chili Cook-Off back to the event line-up for the second straight year. The festival will run Friday, Sept. 5, through Sunday, Sept.7, on the downtown Kennett Courthouse Square, and the cooking heats up on Saturday, Sept. 6. "We are excited to have the cook-off as part of the festival again this year, said Mariann Wright, Festival Coordinator.

Set up begins at 8:30 a.m. The Jaycees will hold a mandatory chief cook's meeting at 9 a.m. Blind judging will begin at 1 p.m., with People's Choice judging from 1 to 3 p.m. Showmanship judging will take place from 2-3 p.m. Awards will be presented at 3:30 p.m.

Jaycees Recording Secretary, Lee Atwill, who is also coordinating the cook-off, said last year's event was so successful, they hope to add even more cooking teams this year. "We had about eight or nine teams last year, and we would like to have more this year. We're encouraging businesses and groups to come out and participate, or just come to enjoy the chili. We will be selling custom mugs to sample the chili, just like last year," he said.

The Jaycees are in the process of posting the cook-off rules and the official entry form on their website, www.kennettjaycees.com. The entry fee is $25 per team. Cook-off rules stipulate five members, per team. Additional team members will require an extra $5, per person. Entry forms must be turned in by August 30. Any entry forms received after August 30 will be charged an additional $5, or $30, at the door. Forms and entry fees should be mailed to Kennett Jaycees, P.O. Box 165, Kennett, MO 63857.

The Jaycees will provide team sites that will measure approximately 8 by 10 feet. Teams will be able to begin cooking at any time after the site and meat inspections, which will take place following the chief cook's meeting. All food must be cooked onsite. Teams may cook with either gas or electric heat. However, if a team uses gas, they must bring along an approved fire extinguisher. Standard health and cleanliness rules will also apply. Additional rules stipulate that all teams cook their chili from scratch, meaning they must start with raw, unmarinated meat. Chili powder will be allowed, but not commercial mixes or canned chili. Cooking conditions will be subject to inspection by the Cook-Off Committee. The group will also provide each team with sample containers for judging.

Atwill also provided details on the three judging categories.

Blind Judging

Teams must not mark or alter their sample containers in any way that makes them identifiable. Any marked, altered, or identifiable container entries will be subject to disqualification by the Cook-Off Committee.

Each team must submit their provided container, either fully or three-quarters filled, between 12:55 p.m. and 1:05 p.m., as per the contest clock. Any entries submitted afterward will be disqualified.

Each team's container will then be renumbered and presented to the panel of blind judges for judging, which will take place inside the Dunklin County Courthouse.

Each team's entry will be judged on aroma, consistency, color, taste and aftertaste.

First, second and third place ribbons will be awarded.

People's Choice

The Cook-Off Committee will be selling commemorative mugs that will serve as each voter's sampling container. Also, each voter will receive an armband that they will use to cast their vote, in their favorite team's entry box. Voters will not be required to try all teams' chili.

Each team must prepare enough chili for both the Blind Judging and People's Choice submissions. However, the Cook-Off Committee can make no assurances about how many voters will be present.

First, second and third place ribbons will be awarded. Any tie results will be broken by those of the Blind Judging contest.

Showmanship

All teams will be encouraged to participate in the Showmanship Award. Teams will be allowed to decorate their cook sites, dress in costume, and perform skits or songs, among other things. Nudity, lewdness and profanity will be banned from the competition.

A panel of judges will visit each team's site, in random order. Teams will be judged on theme, costume, booth appearance, performance, and audience appeal.

First, second and third place ribbons will be awarded. Any ties will be broken by the results of the Blind Judging contest.

In other "Fall Into Arts" Festival news, organizers also announced they will be adding artist demonstrations to this year's event. Throughout the weekend, artists and crafters will scatter throughout downtown to demonstrate their skills in a variety of different mediums. Another new festival feature will be the video contest and mini film festival, taking place at the recently renovated Kennett Palace Theater. And SEMO Little Theater's annual festival performance will move from the Dunklin County Courthouse courtroom, to the theater's own stage, this year, with a production of the Neil Simon comedy, "Plaza Suite."

A full musical line-up will, once again, provide the background for the weekend's festivities, as visitors enjoy local foods, while touring vendor and artist booths. The Dunklin County Museum will once again be open to the public, and the First Presbyterian Church Annual Bazaar will take place on Saturday, Sept. 6, just around the corner from the Courthouse Square. Representatives from the Copperosity Classic charity golf tournament will also be on hand, taking entries for this year's event, which will be held on Saturday, Sept. 13, at the Kennett Country Club.

Festival organizers would like to thank this year's sponsors for providing the financial support that covers competition prize money, entertainment fees, facility rentals, and event promotion. Sponsors include the City of Kennett, Cornerstone Pharmacy, First Presbyterian Church of Kennett, First State Community Bank, Harris Pharmacy, Jain Medical Center, Kennett National Bank, Kennett Veterinary Clinic, Kennett License Office, McClain Mini Storage, Missouri Arts Council, NewWave Communications, Kennett Opera House, Kennett Palace Theater, Pelts/McMullan/Edgington/Morgan, LLP, Senath State Bank, TEKO Pharmacy and The Paint Store.

"Fall Into Arts" is coordinated through the volunteer board of the Kennett Alliance for the Arts (KAFTA), representing the CottonBoll Artist League, Friends of Music, and SEMO Little Theater Group. For more festival information, visit www.kafta.org. For questions about the Kennett Jaycees Chili Cook-Off, call Atwill at 573-888-2600, or 573-344-1711.