11th annual Chili for Children Cookoff benefits Warren County Children’s Shelter and Jacob’s Ladder

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The Radio People will host the 11th annual Chili for Children Cookoff at the Lady Luck Casino (1380 Warrenton Rd.) Jan. 25 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. This event is open to all chili cooks and chili lovers.

“We normally feed about 800 people on the day of the cookoff,” said Station Manager Sabrina Lynn. “It’s a very big deal and a lot of fun. It started as the brainchild of the Vicksburg Cyclists, and they invited us out to do a live broadcast. The turnout was so good that they got in touch with us and told us they wanted it to continue and become an annual thing. We’ve been doing it every year since then, and we’ve grown immensely.”

Each year, chili enthusiasts register for a chance to win the title of Best Chili in town.

“We’re accepting all chili teams,” Lynn said. “They can pick up an application from me, I could email it to them, or they can get it from our website. There’s about 20 to 25 chili teams that usually enter. Most of them are local.

“We have a judging by people in the community,” she added.  “We’ve had the mayor, local chefs and law enforcement. This year we have a member of management from Lady Luck Casino, a board member from the (Warren County) Children’s Shelter and a board member from Jacob’s Ladder.”

People from all over come out to eat chili, reunite with old friends and enjoy the other activities.

“There’s always live music and tons of things for kids to do like face painting, inflatables and all the chili you can eat,” Lynn said.

The registration fee for chili cooks is $50 for a team of up to four, and the entry fee to the cookoff is $10. Children 10 and under get in free. All proceeds benefit the Warren County Children’s Shelter and Jacob’s Ladder Learning Center.

For more information or to register, contact The Radio People at 601-636-2340 or visit the event Facebook page or website.