WEDNESDAY - February 6, 2008

Smoke on the Water Chili Cookoff

Announces Partnership with Central Distributing and Prize Amounts for 2008 Cookoff

.
Charleston, W.Va. – Smoke on the Water Chili Cookoff organizers today announced Central Distributing as a premier sponsor of the 2008 event and an increase in prize money awarded to the top chili cooks. The cookoff is a day-long event that raises funds for HospiceCare of Charleston and draws thousands each year. The 2008 cook-off will be held on Kanawha Boulevard in front of Haddad Riverfront Park on Saturday, June 21, 2008 in conjunction with FestivALL.

Smoke on the Water Chairperson Jennifer Piercy-Igo said the event will benefit by partnering with Central Distributing. "Dick Barber and Central Distributing are stepping up this year with a sponsorship that will make our 10^th anniversary very memorable." BrickStreet Insurance has also announced the company again is supporting one of the country's top chili cookoffs.

The increase in corporate sponsorships will allow the top cooks to take home more money this year as the event's prize amounts have been announced. For traditional red chili, first place will be $7,500, second place $1,500, and third place $500. The first place prize is the second largest for a regional cookoff in the country. For green chili, first place will be $1,200 and second place $500. The People's Choice winner will receive $150. First place in salsa will receive $200 and second place will receive $100. Best booth will receive $100, the art logo contest winner will receive $150, and the hot pepper eating contest winner will receive $100.

The Smoke on the Water Chili Cookoff began ten years ago when a group of local individuals wanted to raise money for local charities. For the past five years, the selected charity has been HospiceCare of Charleston and over $40,000 has been raised for that non-profit organization. The event has continued to grow through the decade. In 2001, the cook-off was awarded regional status by the International Chili Society (ICS). Regional cook-offs are the events that the nation's top chili cooks participate in, with the winners earning the opportunity to compete at the World's Championship Chili Cookoff.

FestivALL Charleston was conceived in 2004 and first produced in 2005. It has several purposes including producing and presenting high-quality artistic events featuring music, dance, theater, visual art and film and giving local artists and arts organizations a chance to show off their work. Also, like the chili cookoff, one of its aims is bringing visitors to downtown Charleston.

Smoke on the Water is a Charleston-based, independent, non-profit, volunteer organization and is a division of the Charleston Regatta Commission. For more information about Smoke on the Water, please visit www.smokeonthewater.org.

.

.

.

.

Tri-State Regional and Avi Regional

Chiliheads! The back-to-back Regionals at the Avi Casino in Laughlin, Nevada, are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, April 5 & 6, 2008. Those of you who are planning to attend, I'd appreciate receiving notification (through sign-up online, e-mail or cell phone call to me) as soon as possible so I can do a headcount, due to the unresolved calendar conflict with Ground Hog District in Palm Desert, currently scheduled for Saturday, April 5.

.

Because of competing cookoffs, this could be a wonderful opportunity to win a ticket to the World Championships with less competition! Please advise whether you'll be cooking red, green, and/or salsa. Those of you who have already signed up, I have your information already, and thanks for the advance notice. See you at Avi!

.
Ref. Susan Burt Baumberger
Los Angeles Superior Court
1945 South Hill Street
Los Angeles, CA 90007-1413
Cell: 661-714-6234

.

.

.

.

SNOWMASS/ASPEN COOKOFFS

RECORD PRIZE MONEY

.

ICS'S CEO, CAROL HANCOCK TO HELP PROMOTE BEERFEST/CHILI COOKOFF AT MAJOR NEW YORK PR/MEDIA EVENT!

.

Circle Friday, June 6 for the Snowmass District and Saturday, JN 7 for the Snowmass REGIONAL with it's $1,250 first place prize for Red and $500 Verde; $1,000 is up for the red prize on Friday and another $500 for Verde. All contestants receive a free pass for both days of beer tasting from over 30 of the best micro brewers in America plus free pass for the concerts each night. This is worth $100 per person.

.

The Snowmass/Aspen area is one of the most spectacular mountain vacation destinations in the

country.

.

As usual, deep discounted room rates are available this year. The "commercial" chili booths last year helped take the pressure off the cooks and this year's will include the same addition.

.

Important changes this year will include: on-site drop off of equipment, ATV's available to help move your equipment from the site to your car (just like the World's) following the cookoff, plus nightly valet parking coupons so you can park your car right at the hotel and avoid the crush of the nightly concert crowd expected to exceed 5,000.

.

NEW this year: The Snowmass/Aspen PR and marketing folks picked the Brew and Chili Fest to be the featured event at a New York city Colorado Tourism promotional event this April.

.

Snowmass is pleased to announce that Carol Hancock, CEO of the International Chili Society, will represent the cookoff and ICS at this media extravaganza.

.

Planning is still underway but the event will include a media lunch, public chili sampling, chili cooking demos, and exposure on national TV shows. More details will be provided as the plans are firmed up.

.

.

.

.

Jeff & Julie Netser

New email address

jnetser@broadreach.net

.

.

.

============================

If you have articles for posting to Dicks Chili World BLOG, they can be emailed to GWTWChili@aol.com

============================

Tell your other Chilihead Friends about the BLOG and how it works.