Don’t tell Sunset Beach folks that summer’s over and the good times have rolled away.
The seaside neighborhood adjacent to Seal Beach’s Surfside Colony is just getting started having fun and preparing to party at its next event, the 15th annual Sunset Beach Chili Cookoff.
The event will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 22, at the Sunset Beach Community Lot at 12th Street and North Pacific Ave. in Sunset Beach. The $5 admission includes tasting and voting on the various chili concoctions to choose this year’s winners.
The event is meant as a fun way to raise money for the community through the Sunset Beach Woman’s Club and the Sunset Beach Community Association. However, you can smell the competition in the air as well as the saucy aroma from a variety of home grown chili recipes.
While it’s mostly about bragging rights, when many of the entries are local restaurants vying for recognition of their cooking prowess, the teams take their task seriously.
This year, Don The Beachcomber and Pelican Isle have entered the fray. However, the expectations are running high for local restaurants Mothers Tavern and King Neptune’s. The contest includes first, second and third place in the categories of Judges’ Choice, People’s Choice and Best Decorated.
“Last year La Familia won the Judges first place award,” said volunteer Claire Daschbach. “La
Familia is not entered this year. So the neck and neck competition is usually between Neptune’s and Mother’s.”
Daschbach announced there would be two new seasoned guest chefs, Cheryl from Johnnie Rebbs and Julie from Phillippes, judging along with four local neighborhood gentlemen.
This year’s raffle prizes include a week in Cabo San Lucas, four weekends in Rosarita Beach, a bike from Outspoken bike shop, a Kayak and many more gifts from local merchants.
