Main Street Madison hosted its 19th annual Downtown Chili Cookoff and Fall Festival on Oct. 11 at Madison Town Park, featuring a marketplace, live music, food vendors, and many children’s activities.
The event was free to the public, with attendees from throughout Morgan County. Many visitors brought their families and beloved canine friends to stroll through the park with them.
Multiple local nonprofit organizations were in attendance for Saturday’s festival, including the Humane Society of Morgan County. The staff brought multiple dogs to the event, all of which are currently available for adoption.
Several thousand visitors attended the Chili Cookoff and Fall Fest, exploring a diverse array of products from small businesses participating in the marketplace. Vendors sold a variety of products, including plants, baked goods, artwork, and more.
The Madison Artists Guild hosted a pumpkin decorating contest at the festival, with both adult and children categories. The contestants’ pumpkins sat on display at the park’s pavilion until awards were announced at 2:30 p.m.
The Chili Cookoff competition kicked off at noon, with 25 participants competing in the Open, People’s Choice, and Chili Appreciation Society International (CASI) categories. Many participants were Morgan County residents, while others traveled from out of town and different states.
Attendees wishing to sample the chili could participate in the competition by purchasing a $5 wristband, which allowed them to place ballots at the contestants’ tents to determine the winners.
The open category winning prize included $400 cash, an official trophy, and a gift from Main Street Madison. The Chili Appreciation Society International category featured an official trophy, a gift, and CASI points. Additionally, the People’s Choice winner received a “special trophy” and a gift.
Madison resident Missy Reynolds won first place in the open category and served as the captain of her booth, “Big Back” Demon Hunter. Lane Blair, a Douglasville resident, took the first-place prize for the CASI category and was the captain of his chili recipe, “Fatty Blair.”
The attendees selected Madison resident Tom Greenfield as the People’s Choice winner, with his chili from the Madison Kiwanis club booth.