ROBERT PIERCE
• Leader & Times
September is almost here, and soon cooler weather will be in the air. The milder climate likewise creates for many a craving for certain culinary delights not present during the rest of the year.
One of those foods is chili, and for many years, Seward County United Way has given locals a chance to taste some of the food favorite through its annual chili cookoff.
The cookoff, according to SCUW Director Diana Esparza-Villarreal, normally serves as the kickoff for United Way’s annual fundraising campaign, but she added this year, a golf tournament in June served that purpose. Still, though, the cookoff, which takes place in conjunction with the Liberal Chamber of Commerce’s Duck Race Festival Sept. 14 at Light Park, is a big event.
Esparza-Villarreal said SCUW is grateful for the collaboration with the Chamber that allows them to be a part of the Duck Race Festival.
With the cookoff itself, contestants cook what they think is the best tasting chili, and along with judges, visitors to Light Park can purchase tasting kits and vote for their favorite recipes.
In some previous years, other foods were a part of the cookoff, including tacos and desserts, but Esparza-Villarreal said this year’s event will be all about chili.
“I thought about having the desserts, but I don’t want to get that confusion for those who want to do both, so I’m just leaving it with chili,” she said.
For those looking to prove their chili is the best, Esparza-Villarreal said that decision will be left in the hands of the community and judges.
“We do have a first place cash prize and a trophy for second and third, and we do have a people’s choice where the people go and vote,” she said. “The community purchases a tasting kit in order to be able to taste all these different chilis.”
With a chili cookoff taking place when the weather is still warm, Esparza-Villarreal, who had worked a few events as a volunteer before becoming director, said having different categories helps get early cravings for the food.
“We always added that other category to make it something else because you walk around being hot with a hot bowl of chili, but if you think September, you think fall,” she said. “We just wanted it to fit to what it mainly is, just chili. In previous years with other categories, we’ve had more competitors just because there’s so many different categories. Not everybody knows how to cook chili.”
Numbers for the chili cookoff have been down in recent years, and Esparza-Villarreal said she would like to bring in more competitors over time.
“We already had one sign up,” she said in a July interview. “We’re hoping to see more. It’s a fun event. You cook chili and compete. It’s exciting.”
Esparza-Villarreal said June’s golf tournament did bring in a few teams, and this is another event she would like to see bigger numbers with in coming years.
“We had, I believe, seven or eight teams,” she said. “It was a small golf tournament, but we’re trying to build this event back up. We’re so grateful for those teams we had and are ready for the next year. We’re looking to build it up. It brought us in some money for our campaign. I think it went really well, really smooth, and I’m looking forward to next year’s.”
Thus far, Esparza-Villarreal said SCUW’s fundraising is going good for this year.
“I think we’re in a good start,” she said. “I’m hoping for the rest of the year, it’ll continue being that way, especially kicking it off with more events in the remainder of the year, but I think we’re doing pretty good right now.”
In recent years, inflation has reached higher rates, and Esparza-Villarreal said this has a great effect on donations to charity.
“If families are struggling to purchase groceries, pay their bills and keep up on a day-to-day basis, you are not as willing to donate cash or check,” she said. “You’re barely surviving, and you don’t want to give the little bit you have left.”
However, Esparza-Villarreal said this does not mean people are selfish if they choose not to donate.
“It’s just that’s how times have been where it’s hard,” she said. “I think inflation has affected a lot with donations. Hopefully, things will go down, but you never know. There are still some people who are willing to give if they can.”
Esparza-Villarreal said coming to the chili cookoff is important for more reasons than having a fundraiser for United Way .
“It also is a very fun community event,” she said. “Even if you’re not going there strictly just for the chili. There’s other activities they have with the Duck Race Festival. It’s a good chance to win some money. It’s a fun event. We want your support, and we hope you come out and support the cookoff. It’s a fun event to come out and be with the family.”
Esparza-Villarreal said her gratefulness for having the chili cookoff as part of the Duck Race Festival is added due to the Chamber event’s extreme success over the years.
“You see these ducks going, and you’re able to win some cash prizes,” she said. “It’s really exciting, and we’re grateful they let us be a part of their event for so many years.”
Naturally, Esparza-Villarreal is excited for Sept. 14 in Light Park.
“I hope to get a duck again this year, but win this time,” she said. “The chili cookoff honestly happens so fast. You’re on the go, and you’re outside. It doesn’t help my allergies much, but it’s really just because you see all these people trying to compete for the best chili, most of them being some of our agencies in there. Some of our agencies have won before.”
A plus to the excitement of the day for Esparza-Villarreal is seeing everyone come together for both a good cause and the Duck Race Festival.
“You’d be surprised how many people think it’s real ducks that race,” she said. “I do have to explain quite a few times that they’re rubber ducks.”
To enter the competition, e-mail SCUW at
“We do have the save the date on our Facebook and Instagram,” Esparza-Villarreal said. “We will be posting the flyer, but that mainly covers everything – date, time, if you want to sign up. You can sign up now if you want to. We’ll send you the rules. The rules are pretty basic. It tells you what to bring, what time to be there and how much to cook.”
For more information, call SCUW, message them on the Seward County United Way or e-mail
