Chili

Registration Ends: Monday, Sept. 5, 11:59pm
Entry Drop Off: Saturday, Sept. 10, 10am-12pm
Entry Pick-Up: Sunday, Sept. 11, 12pm-4pm Winners Announced: Sunday, Sept. 11, 12pm

Ingredients List Due: Wednesday, Sept. 7, 11:59pm

Winners will be announced on the Fair Main Stage and on the DC State Fair website.

DC Gateway Pavilion
St. Elizabeth’s East
2700 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE
Washington, DC, 20032

 

Awards Given 

Blue, red, and white ribbons will be awarded in the following categories:

  • Best traditional meat chili (can include chicken, beef, pork, etc.)

  • Best vegetarian or vegan chili

Judging Criteria

  1. Texture: 20%

  2. Appearance: 10%

  3. Taste/Flavor and Appeal (good balance of ingredients, flavors and textures): 60%

  4. Aroma: 10%

 

Contest Rules

  1. You must be an amateur cook/baker. 

  2. You can enter up to two separate chilis, one meat and one vegetarian or vegan. Please fill out individual entry forms.

  3. Your dish must be made from scratch (no prebaked, premade/packaged ingredients, or canned chili fillings).

  4. Your beans can be canned, but not the other ingredients. 

  5. You must make the whole batch yourself.

YOU CANNOT ENTER IF

  • Your chili contains any of the following: uncooked meat, uncooked dairy products, raw eggs, or other products that are high risk for spoilage or might cause sickness. 

  • You are a food professional including a licensed baker/caterer; oversee/supervise the preparation of food in a restaurant, bakery, carryout, grocery, deli, cafeteria, food truck, or any place where food is prepared and sold; own a food making/baking business; or a professional food writer who writes recipes for pay.

Entries must be brought to the Fair in a slowcooker or warm to keep chili warm. Please also bring a ladle. Containers and serve ware can be picked up at the contest area at the conclusion of the Fair. Warmers and ladles not claimed by 6:00 p.m. on the day of the Fair will be donated.