Chili cook-offs set for Saturday in Homewood and Palos Park
BY STEVE METSCH smetsch@southtownstar.com September 13, 2012 4:04PM
The village of Homewood will host its annual Fall Fest and Chili Cook-Off on Saturday on Martin Avenue, from Hickory Road to Ridge Road. (SouthtownStar file photo)
Updated: October 15, 2012 9:18AM
Chili lovers will be in cayenne pepper heaven Saturday as not one but two events will feature chili contests.
The village of Homewood will host its annual Fall Fest and Chili Cook-Off on Martin Avenue, from Hickory Road to Ridge Road.
At the same time, the village of Palos Park’s Autumn in the Park Festival will be held on the village green, 8901 W. 123rd St.
Both events run from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
In Homewood, the chili contest runs from 2 to 3 p.m. Contestants vie for top prizes of $200, $100 and $50.
In Palos Park, chili contest tasting begins at 1:15 p.m.
For both contests, it’s best to be there on time, spoon in hand, as chili lovers tend to clean out the supply rapidly.
In Palos Park, the chili contest is sanctioned by the Chili Appreciation Society International and the International Chili Society, village manager Rick Boehm said Thursday.
New this year at Homewood is a screening of the “Zombie Paradise” video that features Homewood residents in zombie makeup enjoying the amenities of Homewood with non-zombies. More than 60 residents volunteered to show up when the video was filmed.
In Palos Park, a barbecue ribs competition and tasting starts at 4:15 p.m.
“There’s a lot of interest around here. There’s a buzz going around town about this event,” Boehm said.
Organizers are hoping the barbecue ribs contest will one day prove as popular as the chili contest. Unlike the chili contest, the ribs contest is strictly an amateur competition. but that should still make hungry festival visitors happy, Boehm said.
“We have 10 entries, and each will prepare 10 slabs of ribs. We’ve talked to other rib events and they said their first years had four to six entries. There’s a lot of excitement about the ribs,” Boehm said.
An old favorite, the bags tournament, returns for the seventh straight year in Homewood, starting at 6:30 p.m.
Each festival will have food vendors and live entertainment and games for kids.
In Palos Park, the annual parade at 11 a.m. will be held along 123rd Street between 80th and 90th avenues.
Free shuttles will carry guests to and from the Palos Park Metra station.
Visit www.homesweethomewood.com or www.palospark.org for more information.
