Think of chili towns and most people think of Cincinnati, where the perfect chili is pursued with an almost religious zeal. But for one day this June, the chili center of the U.S. will move way across the country to Ocean Beach, San Diego. On June 27, San Diego will be hosting its 30th annual Ocean Beach Street Fair and Chili Cook-off. Last year, 25 teams competed in the chili contest, with similar numbers expected this year.
All chili is judged on a combination of taste, consistency, color, and smell. Visitors on a San Diego vacation can pay $10 to taste all the entries. Tastings start at 10am and run until there’s no chili left. All proceeds go toward the city’s Fourth of July fireworks fund. Honorable mentions go to those with the spiciest and most spirited chilis.
If chili isn’t really your thing, though, there’s plenty else to draw you to this fun festival by the beach.
This free festival features five stages of music, a display of arts and crafts, beer gardens for the adults, carnival entertainment and pony rides for the kids, and plenty of food vendors on hand serving much more than just chili. Bands include such colorful names as Jimmy Dean & the Sausage Kings, Agua Dulce, and John Miller & the Payback.
Visitors—both children and adults–are also welcome to participate in a community mural project by painting a square. There will be face and body painting, and dancing is encouraged. In addition, there will be an amateur wrestling expedition and a skateboard expedition. If you plan on attending, you should plan on parking at the free Sun Runner lot on Sea World Drive at Pacific Highway. Shuttles run between there and the festival every hour on the hour.
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