Tantalize your taste buds and enjoy some family fun
A new season is just around the corner but spring won’t be the only thing in the air, with the annual Pahrump Chili Cook-Off ready to fill Petrack Park with the scintillating scents of savory chili. This community-forward event invites residents and tourists out for three days of festival excitement, staring Friday, March 20 and running through Sunday, March 22.
“Preparations are coming along very well for this year’s festival,” Kelly Sater of Wrecking Ball Entertainment told the Pahrump Valley Times. “Organizers and volunteers have been working for months to bring together a full weekend of activities designed to celebrate food, community and family-friendly fun! Events like this are about bringing in the community together and creating something fun for attendees of all ages. We’ve been putting a lot of work into making this year’s festival bigger and better and we’re excited to see everyone come out and enjoy it.”
The major highlight of the Pahrump Chili Cook-Off is, of course, the chili competitions. There will be two separate contests sanctioned by the International Chili Society, including the Silver State Chili Cook-Off on March 21 and the Nevada State Chili Cook-Off on March 22. But its not just professional chili chefs who have the chance the join in. A non-sanctioned cook-off offers the opportunity for people to cook up whatever kind of chili they want to feature in the hopes of earning the People’s Choice award. Attendees get the chance to sample the wide variety of chili from 30 different cooks on Saturday and Sunday, with tasting tickets costing $1 each, $10 for twelve tickets or $20 to sample from each cook.
Aside from the chili itself, there will be plenty of other activities to attract a crowd, including a full carnival, a putt putt golf course, kids electric car races, games and public competitions such as watermelon eating and beer chugging, raffles and more.
“We are even hosting a Dog Fashion Show this year, presented by Michelle Nelson for District Attorney,” Sater enthused. “Vendors from around the region will be setting up booths offering everything from food and handmade items to unique products and services. On Sunday morning, a car and motorcycle show will bring automotive enthusiasts together from both sides of the mountain and spectators will have the opportunity to vote for best in show.”
The Pahrump Chili Cook-off is more than just a festival of spicy goodness, however. It’s also a mechanism for supporting good causes and this year’s beneficiaries include three valley organizations, each with its own purpose – the Pahrump Disability Outreach Program (PDOP), Bikers Against Bullying and the Pahrump Theatre Company, the latter of which will be providing a sneak peak performance at the event, too.
“PDOP is a small nonprofit organization dedicated to the support of children with disabilities and their families. PDOP also concentrates on education of the community regarding disabilities,” information on the cook-off details.
“Bikers Against Bullying is a dedicated nonprofit organization committed to combating bullying and supporting local children and families in Nye County. Through community event like trunk-or-treat nights, raffles and charity cruises, they raise awareness and funds that stay within the area to aid anti-bullying initiatives and partner causes. Pahrump Theatre Company aims to become the premier theatrical and entertainment hub in Pahrump. Their focus is on providing high-quality theatrical productions that inspire local youth and cater to the community’s interests, including modern, new works and classic plays.”
The Pahrump Chili Cook-off is set for 4 to 11 p.m. on Friday, March 20, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, March 21 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, March 22 at Petrack Park.
For more information and a full schedule of events, visit PahrumpChiliCookoff.com
Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com
How it all started
The Pahrump Chili Cook-off was the result of the late Ron Frazier and his wife Marion's desire to support the community and its various nonprofits. In 2012 the inaugural event took place, marking the start of a local tradition that, though the Fraziers have passed on, continues to this day.
"Ron approached another Pahrump local, Kelli Sater, back in 2019 and shared his vision of the cook-off with her. His dream was to create a festival that would keep the youth involved, so that chili cooking competitions didn't lose interest with newer generations," information from the Pahrump Chili Cook-off details. "He saw the motivation and drive Ms. Sater had to help her community and asked if she would take over the event.
"Kelli saw Ron's vision and knew she could keep his dream alive and grow it over the years," the website explains. "She graciously accepted and hosted her first cook-off in 2020. Since then, she has kept the festival youth- and family-focuses as she promised Ron she would… Ron and his wife Marion both passed away since 2023 and every year, we dedicate the cook-off in both of their honor. They loved people, they loved their community and they loved chili!"
