Our chili cookoff consists of four primary events:
- Red Chili (ICS competition, with winner advancing to 2026 World Championships)
- Homestyle (ICS competition, with winner advancing to 2026 World Championships)
- Chili Verde (ICS competition with winner advancing to the 2026 World Championships)
- People’s Choice (non-ICS competition, open to all cooks, local bragging rights)
Cooks must have a current ICS membership to compete in the ICS competition(s). The cookoff will follow Official ICS rules, so be sure to lookup definitions of Red and Traditional Chilis. Cooks that enter the Red Chili, Homestyle or Chili Verde contests are automatically entered into the People’s Choice at no additional fee. If you do not want to enter the ICS competition, please signup as People’s Choice. In addition to the People’s Choice awards, a prize will also be given for Best of Elk River (must have mailing address on Elk River area).
If you would like to enter the competition, please complete the below form. After completing the form, mail a check to Chili’N on the Elk, ATTN: Carrie Sloan-Meyer at 814 Greenbrier Street, Charleston, WV 25311. Checks need to be made payable to the Town of Clendenin. Payment may also be made at registration the day of the event. Please DO NOT send money via PayPal or Venmo, as it cannot be accepted.