ROBERT PIERCE
• Leader & Times
This year, the autumn equinox, the day marking the official start of fall, occurs on Sept. 22, and with the arrival of the season, temperatures are expected to eventually decrease from the summer-like conditions across the area for the past two months.
With the arrival of autumn comes the variety of foods the season brings, including chili, and a few days after the equinox, Seward County United Way is giving people a chance to try some of the recipes of local chili makers.
Saturday, Sept. 26, in conjunction with the Liberal Chamber of Commerce’s Duck Race Festival, SCUW is hosting its annual chili cookoff. The cookoff will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Light Park, and United Way Director Patricia Fierro said everyone is encouraged to participate, including individuals, businesses and organizations.
This year’s Duck Race Festival is the 25th edition of that event, and with that in mind, Fierro said she would like to see at least 25 booths taking part in the cookoff.
“That’s my goal,” she said. “It looks like we’re off to a good start. We’ve had a lot of folks already register. I’m really happy about that. Having our wonderful cash prizes has been also very helpful to us. We thank Argoth Excavation and Gerhardt Fencing & Landscape for their sponsorships.”
Prizes will be given out for the top three spots, as well a people’s choice winner, with first place getting $300, second $200 and third and people’s choice $100 each.
“In addition to that, what we’ve added this year is we will be having some punch cards everyone who buys a tasting kit will get,” Fierro said. “From that, they will go to each one of the booths, and they will sign off on it. Once their card is complete, they will put their name and phone number on the back. That card will be folded and put into a hopper at the end of the event.”
When cookoff winners are announced, the winners of three gift cards will be drawn. The three cards include one $50 gift card each from Tavena Italian Steakhouse and LaCazona Restaurant & Bar and $100 card from Chilakilez and Cheers.
Tasting kits for the cookoff are $10 apiece, including a drink. Fierro said she is hoping for as many participants to take part in the cookoff as possible, as well as many people as possible to try the many varieties of chili.
“We’re really excited, and we’ve already had a good amount of folks who have already signed up, not my 25 yet, but we’re getting there,” she said.
The 2025 cookoff was Fierro’s first as SCUW director, and she said it went quite well.
“We actually had a very large increase from recent past,” she said. “We had 12 chili makers and three taco makers. We had a lot of people enjoy it and the fact there was a lot of variety. It was great. I recommend not to eat a whole spoonful from each one because you’re going to be stuffed.”
Forecasts show temperatures beginning to cool into the 80s this week, with some showing temps in the 70s around the time of the equinox. Fierro said she is hoping for cooler weather for the day of the cookoff to heighten everyone’s appetite for chili, but she said the show must go on no matter the temperature if dry conditions are the rule of the day.
“It is what it is,” she said. “We continue to grow this event and continue to have everyone coming and wanting to participate and help us out. Ultimately, anything we gather from that, we put it back into the community. It’s returning those funds to the folks who need it.”
The cookoff has taken place the same day as the Duck Race Festival for years, and with a crowd already in Light Park for the Chamber event, Fierro said this makes for a great opportunity to have two events in one location on one day and not have to create a new event for the cookoff.
“They compliment one another, and the folks are already used to the Duck Race and chili being on the same day,” she said. “We’re trying to keep that routine going.”
Last year’s cookoff also featured one lucky person driving away with a Jeep Wrangler. Fierro said while that part of the event also went well, planning for that is very time consuming. Therefore, it will not be a part of this year’s cookoff.
“I am but one person,” she said. “I had a very large group of people committed to selling and not a lot of it myself. I would love to have it again, but it’s a lot of commitment for one person. I was pretty much married to the thing. It was with me all the time. It took away a lot of time away from my family.”
For more information about the United Way Chili Cookoff, a QR code is available for scanning on event flyers, and people can also message the Seward County United Way Facebook page, call 620-624-5400, or e-mail
With a little more than two weeks left until the cookoff, Fierro said excitement is building for the event.
“Right now, it’s not so much stressing on stuff,” she said. “It’s hoping we can get many folks to register. We do have a good amount. Even if we were to stop right now with participants, we have a good amount. I want to reach my goal for the 25th year of the Duck Race Festival and hoping to have 25 contestants.”
