This weekend, the contest returned to 91原创 City on 56th Avenue between Glover Road and 206th.
Running from May 13 to May 15, the drew competitors from across Canada and the U.S.
Organizer Wayne Fettback estimated a dozen teams were competing for top honours at the 36th edition of the annual competition.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 down considerably [from pre-COVID times],鈥� Fettback remarked.
Still it was 鈥済oing good,鈥� Fettback said, with participants happy to be back in competition.
Ross Lunbeck, known as 鈥淏ig Limpin鈥� came all the way from Lacey, Washington to take part.
鈥淲e left the house at five this morning,鈥� Lumback said, as he spooned out samples.
鈥淲e love it.鈥�
Billed as a 鈥淏-Bye COVID block party,鈥� it was the first Canadian Festival competition in two years, Fred Roycroft, one of the volunteer organizers explained.
鈥淲e鈥檙e thrilled to be back from COVID,鈥� Roycraft said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a long dry period for the cooks.鈥�
A a perennial winner, Rusty Johnson, of Rusty鈥檚 BBQ, didn鈥檛 realize how much he missed it until the contest was closed down.
鈥淣ow, we鈥檙e back to doing what we love,鈥� Johnson told the 91原创 Advance Times.
Steve Burnfield from Vancouver, who has been competing since 1993, said he became interested when he read about a Chili contest in a local newspaper.
鈥淚鈥檝e always liked spicey food,鈥� Burnfield smiled.
More than $10,000 in prizes were up for grabs.
This year鈥檚 grand champion was to pocket $1,000, with other prizes ranging from $500 to $150 in categories that include beef, pork, chicken, ribs and steak barbecues, homestyle chili, sandwich, and burgers.
Winners received free tickets to other prestigious BBQ events such as the World Food and World Steak Championships in Texas, as well as the American Royal and Jack Daniels championships.
READ ALSO: Canadian Festival of Chili and BBQ is back in 91原创
For a minimum $5 donation to the BC Professional Fire Fighters鈥� Burn Fund, visitors could receive a sampling wristband and a bowl of Firehouse Chili on Saturday or a sampling wristband and a Pumper Pulled Pork sandwich on Sunday.
On Saturday, music was provided by the Antonio Larosa Band and Emmett Jerome, then on Sunday, The Unbranded, a country band based out of Chilliwack.
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Money raised supports the BC Professional Fire Fighters鈥� Burn Fund, specifically the young burn survivors camp.
There鈥檚 also a beer garden, outfitted with three taps, running 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The beer to support firefighter charities is a Backdraft Red Ale. $1 of every pint, growler fill or four pack purchased goes to the Fire Fighters Burn Fund charity.
To date, the annual festival has donated in excess of $60,000 to the fund.
More photos from the event can be viewed online at the
Have a story tip? Email: dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
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