If you've recovered from the holiday weekend and know what day of the week it is, you're ready to get out and do something. This Sunday's 30th annual event in Old Town Tustin is a good example of food merriment, as they incorporate both street fair and competitive cooking in one afternoon.
Held from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. throughout the streets of Old Town, they give a number of reasons to stay and stroll. For starters, there's a watermelon eating contest and wine tasting booths for your drinking pleasure. Admission is free and includes random viewing opportunities for chili pepper eating and beer stein holding contests.
]
Last year's restaurant winner for the cook-off was the team at Nieuport 17, beating down the likes of big chains Weinerschnitzel and Wendy's (thankfully!). Top placing winners can expect cash awards and bragging rights for the next year. Hell, even the ICS (International Chili Society) plays a part in this, so they are pretty hardcore with this competition. Tasting tickets are a buck per cup of chili. Have some while chilling in their sports zone, where television addicts can catch up on their favorite teams. Note: Chili begins to run out around 2:30 p.m. Remember not to stand downwind after you're done sampling.
For more information, please visit the Tustin Chili Cook-off page at this link.
Follow Stick a Fork In It on Twitter @ocweeklyfood or on Facebook! And don't forget to download our free Best Of App here!
A contributing writer for OC Weekly, Anne Marie freelances for multiple online and print publications, and guest judges for culinary competitions. A Bay Area transplant, she graduated with a degree in Hospitality Management from Cal Poly Pomona. Find her on Instagram as brekkiefan.