Hot! Hot! Hot! State Chili Cook-Off on Saturday

BELTON -- Dozens of cooks from across the country are tuning their forks and getting ready for Saturday's S.C. Chili Cook-off Championship presented by MSW Security. Professional chili and salsa winners will head on to world-level competition sanctioned by the International Chili Society. Local amateur cooks can also submit their best chili and salsa recipes for a shot at the People's Choice Award. The professional competition is bringing cooks from as far as Seymour, Indiana, where Julie and Jim Nester, both award-winning cooks, live. They will all be among the more than two dozen competitors trying to oust last year's S.C. state champ Allen Querubin of Marion.

Mike Freedman is coming from "up north" in Connecticut to act as chief judge for the event. He will join a full fleet of area judges. "We are looking for great spring weather and a lot of really good cooking, as well as fun, live music and what will be a great Saturday outing for families," said Jim Bright, one of the event organizers.

In addition to chili and salsa, the event will feature live music from Jack Roper and the Weatherman, Another BS Session and the Sidetrack bands, along with children's rides with an all-day pass from SpaceWalk of Anderson for $10, drink sales benefiting the Boys Home of the South, arts, crafts and much more. Food will include everything from chili and salsa to baked goods and southern staples like boiled peanuts. Belton woodworker Gene Jameson will be on hand with his souvenir cook-off knives for sale. Also being sold are T-shirts designed by Belton student Sloane Darby.

Belton's American Legion Post is moving its monthly $5 per plate breakfast to downtown for this Saturday only. It will be held in the BasicLife building on the square from 8 to 10 a.m.

The cook-off will benefit three nonprofit organizations - Belton Area Museum Association, Belton Center for the Arts and the Belton Interfaith Ministerial Association. The event actually begins on Friday with a cooks-only dinner in Anderson. On Saturday, the downtown area will be closed to through traffic from 7 a.m. to about 6 p.m. The event opens to the public at 9 a.m., with opening ceremonies at 10 a.m. on the WebbCraft stage. Jack Roper and the Weatherman Band performs at 10:30 a.m., with Honea Path-based Another BS Session band in concert at 12:45 p.m. Side Track plays at 2 p.m., with the awards ceremony at 3:30 p.m.

The tasting event will cost $5 and the donation of one canned good with the food going directly to the Belton Interfaith Ministerial Association for its food pantry. The $5 wrist band will give buyers a chance to sample the competitors' entries.