15th Annual Wabash Cannonball Chili for Charity Chili Cook-off Returns Saturday

By Joseph Slacian

jslacian@thepaperofwabash.com

 

The busiest day in downtown Wabash will take place Saturday, Oct. 21, as the 15th annual Wabash Cannonball Chili for Charity Chili Cook-off fills at Paradise Spring Historical Park with fun and food.

More than 85 teams will begin cooking shortly after 8 a.m. Saturday, with about 5,000 people converging on the park around noon to sample the various styles of chili available.

Cook-off Committee Chair Todd Titus has been involved with the event all 15 years. Initially his job was that as Wabash Park Superintendent, and eventually morphed into serving both the park’s needs as well as his job on the cook-off committee.

He’s seen many changes over the years, starting with the committee and working its way right on down to the participants.

“We’re more organized,” Titus told The Paper of Wabash County during a recent interview. “From (the committee’s) end were more organized. Probably, for the first six or seven years, we were still trying to tweak certain things.

“Then we were trying to fix things that weren’t necessarily broken. Or, we were trying to figure out a better way to do something and then came to the conclusion that the way were doing it was the best way to do it, so we should leave it alone.

“I think the stress factor kind of went away, from our end. I can’t speak from the cook’s end, but from our end, I think over the past seven or eight years we’ve had our committee pretty set. People have their jobs and everyone does their jobs.”

The cook-off began as an idea between Steve “Bo” Bowman, former owner of the Old Kettle Saloon, and Bill Gerding, former owner of the Market Street Grill.

Bowman experienced a cook-off while vacationing in Texas, and upon return broached the idea with Gerding, who has participated in various cook-offs.

“We tried it,” Bowman told The Paper. “We only had seven or eight teams that year. Bill judged it. We raised $500 and gave it to Shop With a Cop.”

From their Bowman and Gerding approached the city and several others about having the event at Paradise Spring. The rest, as they say, is history.

The cook-off was a groundbreaking event for Wabash for several reasons. One is that it was the first time something of this magnitude had been planned. More importantly, Titus believes, is it helped show how much Paradise Spring could be utilized.

The walking trail on the upper level of the park, as well as the improved bathrooms, were installed about 2001.

“It really hadn’t had a lot of use that it was designed for, like this festival,” Titus said. “I really thought that was an area that could be used, but it really had not been tested too much. You had the HerbFest and you had the Old Boys Toys tractor expo. Other than that, that was about all that took place down there.

“I was curious to see how it could be used like I thought it could be used, and use what we learn from that event to help at other events.”

Bowman and Gerding are pleased with the way the event has transformed over the years.

“It’s been a fun event,” Bowman said. “We started the event to have fun, the money was secondary. We figured if we got the teams, people would come and the money would follow.”

And that it has. Since it began, more than $475,000 has been raised for local charities.

The cook-off peaked several years with about 120 teams. Since than, it’s held steady at between 80 and 85 teams.

“But still, that is huge,” Gerding said. “I’ve been to state cook-offs that weren’t that big. It’s fun to go down to look at it. I get a kick of going down and just looking at it after it’s all set up.”

One reason for the event’s success was the involvement of the Chili Appreciation Society International (CASI). CASI teams compete for points and the right to compete at the national chili cook-off in Texas.

“We were fortunate enough to get them involved in ours,” Gerding said. “We got them involved and they liked what they saw. And that brought in more people, whether it be CASI or just people who like to cook.”

Both Bowman and Gerding said the success now lies with the cook-off committee.

Titus will arrive at the park about 6 a.m. Saturday and is there for the duration. Other committee members will arrive shortly after that, each ready to tend to their assigned duties throughout the day. And while there is still a lot of work to be tended to as committee chair, he said he still gets to enjoy the day.

“A lot more now that I’m not park superintendent,” Titus added. “The park really isn’t my worry now. I still care about it and respect it, but it’s really not my problems if the bathrooms are plugged up or if the power goes out. That’s not on my any more.”

The cook-off has helped put Wabash on the map, as it is the largest chili cook-off east of the Mississippi River. That helps bring in the people.

“We definitely know it’s reaching outside a 60-mile radius,” Christine Flohr, tourism director at Visit Wabash County, said. “What it does for Wabash County as a whole is when people return for a second, or third, or fourth time, to become a tradition for them, it’s just another experience that they get to have here in our community.

“For businesses involved, the cook-off is showing off their business, their restaurant, or their church or their club or group of friends who get together, to people aren’t from this area. For people who come the first time, you’re hoping they’re getting exposed to the lovely place that Wabash is.”

The cook-off, she noted, is paired nicely with the American Heritage Craft Show at the Honeywell Center, as well as with the Farmer’s Market, both of which are that day.

Chili teams will begin setting up Friday afternoon and early Saturday morning. Cooking will begin shortly after an 8 a.m. cook’s meeting.

Gates will open at 11 a.m., with tasting to begin at noon. Admission is $5 for adults.

Parking is limited, and the Trolley No.85 will be making the rounds in the downtown area, shuttling people to and from the park.

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