By Chris Wilkes
James River Runners
It is my honor to invite you to participate in the James River Runners Chili Cook Off and Brewer’s Challenge. The event will take place on May 6th, 2017 from 11am until 6 pm. The Chili Cook Off, in its 36th year, has been very successful in raising money for our local Volunteer Fire Department and the water rescue team. Every year we team up with Virginia Eagle Distributors, Specialty Beverage, Monticello Media, Blue Ridge Graphics and our local volunteer emergency departments to throw a fun and entertaining event. This year will mark the fifth year we have invited local craft breweries to share in the fun.
This festival will offer businesses a great marketing opportunity to reach a broad audience. The James River Runners Chili Cook Off and Brewers Challenge will draw beer lovers from all over the Blue Ridge and Piedmont regions with advertising to match.
We have 25 spots open for chili cooking teams. We will have only 8 spots for breweries this year. Please go to our web page jamesriver.com and go to the Chili Cook Off tab to get your entry form. Each brewery may enter one beer this year. Sixtels may be delivered to JRR the day before the event and will be kept cold. Set up on Saturday morning can begin as early as 7 am, but please be no later than 10 am.
With each public admission ticket of $20 the buyer gets eight 1-ounce samples from their choice of brewery and a bowl and spoon for chili tasting. After they have their samples they may then purchase their favorite craft beer with a $5 beer ticket. All proceeds go to the Scottsville Fire Department.
Gates open at 11 am and judging begins at 1 pm. There will be a 1st, 2nd and 3rd place for chili entries and a 1st, 2nd and 3rd place for beer. Our judges are reps from local establishments such as Beer Run, Whiskey Jar, Lost Mountain Wood Crafts, Hit Kicker 99.7, Scottsville VFD, and often a local TV personality. The public also gets to vote for their favorite beer and chili offering. There are trophies, cash prizes, river trips for you and your staff, and lots of swag from local businesses as prizes, not to mention bragging rights.
We will also have food vendors, bounce house for kids in a kid zone with games, 4 live local bands and a whole lot of fun. Camping and parking are available for all cooking and brewing teams so the fun can continue into the night after the public leaves at 6 pm.
We hope you choose to join us this year in a 36-year tradition at James River Runners. Buy local, eat local, drink local and support our local volunteers.