4th Annual Downtown Golden Holiday Chili Cookoff

Saturday December 4^th, Golden, Colorado

With heavy snow earlier in the week, we were relived when Mother Nature gave us a break for a few days and

 let it warm up into the high 40's.  Enough to melt some of the foot of snow that fell on Monday.  Crystal Clear skies greeted us with the dawn this morning.  Cooks wasted no time in setting up and lighting their stoves for the 4th Annual Downtown Holiday Chili Cookoff.  With cooks from Nebraska, Texas and Colorado the cookoff was well represented.  Setting up our Booths right on Main Street, we had the perfect vantage point for the City of Golden's Annual Downtown Holiday parade, which passed right in front of us as we cooked!  As the distinctive smell of chili started to fill the air, the parade started to roll.  Everything imaginable was in this annual holiday event, culminating with the arrival of the Jolly old man himself, Santa Claus.  Many a holiday shopper stopped and visited with chili cooks and sampled their culinary art.

Mike Parker and John Montgomery greeting folks at the Downtown Golden Cook-off

Photo by Steve Lee

And now to the Winners

In our Green division, Steve Lee of Longmont, Colorado took top honors.

Showmanship was also won by Steve Lee and his Warriors of the Crimson Pepper (Longmont, Colorado)

Steve Lee of Longmont CO continued his winning ways.  After placing 19th at TICC, he swept this event.  Placing first in Red with his Warriors Red Chili.  Linda Wilkinson of Loveland placed 2nd.  Rocky Kimball placed 3rd with the Colorado Pod's very own Great Pepper Lyman Wilkinson placing 4th.

This is the 2^nd time in four cook-off’s that Steve Lee has swept an event!