The annual “University of Okoboji Winter Games” in northwest Iowa begin in less than four weeks and there’s chili on the schedule.
The chili cook-off — a sort of kick-off for the weekend’s games — will be held in the Dickinson County Expo Building in Spirit Lake on Friday, January 23. Iowa Great Lakes Chamber of Commerce director Blain Andera says due to space limitations, the first 27 teams that enter online can participate. “There’s no registration fee of any sort,” he says. “They just have to provide a lot of chili.”
At least 20 gallons of chili. “We don’t want to run out of chili at six o’clock when it goes until seven, so we certainly want to have enough for everybody to sample every type of chili,” Andera said. “The vendors don’t want to run out either because if they run out, then people won’t be able to vote for them.”
Teams are not only competing for the “Best Overall Chili” award, but to win “Best Non-Profit” and “Best Booth” in the contest. “Lights, Camera, Action” is this year’s theme for the booth decorating. The news release for the event encouraged the chili-makers to key in on “Chili Wonka and the Flavor Factory” and showcase their favorite movie. Organizers expect up to 2000 people to sample the chilis and cast their votes.
All sort of other events — indoors and out — are scheduled for the University of Okoboji games, including a cribbage tournament and a 5-K fun run through the Arnolds Park Amusement Park. The fictional University of Okoboji, home of the Fighting Phantoms, was founded in the 1970s by three brothers who printed t-shirts with a University of Okoboji crest.
(Reporting by Ed Funston, KILR, Estherville)