Celebrating 40 Years Of The Chugwater Chili Cookoff

The first Chugwater Chili Cookoff and Roundup was 40 years ago.

Really? Has it been that long?

The first Chugwater Chili Cook-Off was held on June 28, 1986. It was launched by the Chugwater Chili Corporation as a way to celebrate the town’s famous seasoning and bring the community together.

It also helps the little town of Chugwater pay for basic maintenance and its fire department. There are so few people living there that they don’t have much of a tax base. The cookoff helps to pay the bills.

In the mid-1980s, the small ranching town of Chugwater (population roughly 200) was struggling. Five local farm and ranch families pooled their resources to purchase the winning recipe from a Cheyenne man who had won the Wyoming state championship. To revitalize the town, they established the Chugwater Chili Corp. To celebrate both the chili and the community, they launched the very first Chili Cook-Off in 1986.

What began as a simple celebration quickly grew into the largest single-day event in Wyoming. Today, the event features a championship chili cook-off (complete with free samples), a hot pepper eating contest, a car show, live music, and the Chugwater Roundup Rodeo.

YES – there is a pie eating contest

My name is Glenn Woods, and as Wyoming’s statewide morning radio talk show host, they have let me MC the event for quite a few years now. Man, it’s lots of fun. Music, food, vendors, art, car show, rodeo.

If you haven’t been, this is your year to go. It’s a great time in their cute little park in the center of town.

Have a look at a past cookoff in the gallery, below.