Mark your calendars for Friday, February 28^th, to warm up both your tummy and your community spirit, as well as help pick the winner of the 27^th Annual Great Chili Cook-Off in Charles City.

Organized by Main Street Charles City, the Chili Cook-Off is a community event to get people together, warm up the winter season a bit, enjoy a variety of chili recipes, and have fun with bragging rights. Each year a different theme and collection of local celebrity chili cooks is assembled, with the 2025 edition being Battle of the Service Clubs. These organizations serve the public good on a regular basis, but on the 28^th they will be serving up their best chili concoctions and vying for the coveted “Golden Ladle Award.”

This year’s featured cooks, and the service groups they are representing, include: Victoria Mead from C.A.Y.A Transition Home for Women, Zolton Zorzi on behalf of the Charles City Community Fund, Chuck Meyer from the Charles City Lion’s Club, Ann Troge from the Charles City Rotary Club, Kip Hauser from the Community Center, Sally Vowell from the Elks Lodge, Jennifer Lantz representing the Foster Grandparents program, and Mike Thome on behalf of the Charles City Knights of Columbus.

The public is invited to come and sample each of the eight batches of chili, voting for their favorite, as well as enjoy dessert prepared by the Family and Consumer Sciences classes and FCCLA students at the Charles City Middle and High Schools. Beverages will also be provided.

Tickets are $10 per person and available in advance at the Main Street Charles City Office at 401 North Main St., or at the door the day of the event at the Columbus Club, 502 Clark St., while supplies last. Serving and voting will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. All are invited!

Helping to make this community event possible are the following sponsors: C.A.Y.A. Transition Home for Women, Charles City Knights of Columbus, Charles City Lion’s Club, Charles City Rotary Club, CUSB Bank, First Citizens Bank, First Security Bank & Trust, and Yokohama TWS.

Main Street Charles City is a non-profit, volunteer-driven organization under the Main Street Iowa program that works to preserve, beautify and enhance the Charles City downtown district. For more information, please call (641) 228-2335 or email info@charlescitychamber.com