By Peter Covino
Lifestyles Editor

Feel the burn.

Get out the Tums. Some of the best chili cooks from Florida and the Southeast are gathering again on Saturday as the  City of Kissimmee Parks, Recreation & Public Facilities Department hosts the 17th annual Kissimmee Sunshine Regional Chili Cook-off event.

Always a big draw for premier chili cooks, competitors will be vying for more than $4,000 in cash prizes, plus an automatic entry to the world finals later this year.  This year’s world championship is in Palm Springs, Calif. Oct. 11-13. The Sunshine Cook-off is an International Chili Society (ICS) sanctioned event.

For the competitors, the competition is a long day. Cooks begin unloading and setting up their equipment at 6:30 a.m. outside the Kissimmee Civic Center. More than 40 cooks/teams are expected this year, according to Parks, Recreation and Facilities Coordinator Vanessa Roman.

Prep time follows (getting all those ingredients ready) at 10 a.m. Green chili competitors “light their fires” at 10:30 a.m. while ICS (red) chili competitors get their fires going at 11:30 a.m.

The public is invited to watch that process as well. The festival begins at 11 a.m.

But the best part of the day for festival goers comes between 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. when they get to cast their votes for the People’s Choice Award. Festival attendees can also sample all of the competitors chili at about 3 p.m. (The chili samples go fast, so arrive early).

The nation will show off their chili cooking skills at this International Chili Society (ICS) sanctioned event. Participants will battle for cash prizes in several competitive categories including ICS Chili, People’s Choice, Chili Verde, Salsa and Guacamole.  

Local dignitaries, experienced chili judges and event sponsors will judge the chili in the civic center during the afternoon. The center is closed to the public during judging due to strict guidelines of the competition.  In addition, there will be prizes for the best decorated booth.   

There will also be a best tasting salsa contest and a chili verde competition with more great prizes. The competition is open to the public; pre-registration is required to be a competitor.

In addition to the fun of watching chili being made (and sampling chili) there will be live music, arts and crafts, a beer garden, food vendors and other fun activities.  

All winners in the various categories will be announced at the end of the day (about 4:45 to 5 p.m.)

This year’s event also will feature amusement rides and interactive activities such as a rock wall, bungee trampoline and a variety of games.  Performing live on stage is country music artist Maggie Rose.

The Kissimmee Sunshine Regional Chili Cook-off is supported in part by the following sponsors: city of Kissimmee Parks, Recreation & Public Facilities Department, Kissimmee Utility Authority, Cox Media Group, Kissimmee Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Osceola News-Gazette.

For more information, go online at  www.kissimmee.org  or call 407-935-1412.

You can also see a list of all previous winners at the world championship competition (including their recipes) at http://www.chilicookoff.com/Recipe/Recipe_WCCC_Recipes.asp?Cat=1.