Chili Challenge

Next date: Friday, October 11, 2024 | 06:00 PM to 10:00 PM

Lenexa Chili Challenge participant stirring chili in Old Town

Lenexa Chili Challenge logo This free foodie festival heats up Friday night with live music and a fireworks show. On Saturday, grab your spoon at the gate to feast on your fill of chili, hot wings and salsa samples. Face painters, balloon artists and live music both days. Little chefs can take part in the Kids Kornbread Contest Saturday morning.

About 200 teams compete in our chili, hot wings and salsa contests in hopes of taking home the Grand Champion prize. Teams host private parties on Friday night and offer free food samples to everyone on Saturday (while supplies last).

Register a team in 2024

Returning teams from 2023

Register from July 8, 2024, at 8 a.m. – July 28, 2024, at 11:59 p.m.

  • Your team’s head cook must be the person to complete registration.
  • Once payment is received, your team’s participation is official.
  • Please review your receipt and confirm all information is correct.

New teams

Any available team booth spots will open for general registration Aug. 5, 2024, at 8 a.m..

  • Open booth spaces are on a first-come, first-served basis.
  • Registration will close once 170 booth spaces are filled.
  • A waitlist will automatically be created in case a booth space becomes available.

Know a team already competing?

  • You may share a booth space with another team, so long as the head cook of the booth space agrees.
  • To join the competition, the head cook of the current booth space must reach out to shirst@lenexa.com to start the process.

Registration instructions

Register online

  1. Sign in under “Account Login” in the top right corner. If you do not have an account, please create an account first.
  2. Select the shopping cart next to Chili Challenge Contestant Registration.
  3. You will be asked several registration questions.

Categories

You can register for each of the following categories:

  • Traditional chili (no beans)
  • Homestyle chili
  • Hot wings
  • Salsa

Kids Kornbread Contest

The Lenexa Chili Challenge is a family event, and our Kids Kornbread Contest gives your kids the opportunity to get involved in the fun!

How to enter

The contest is open to kids age 12 and under.

Register online

  • Limited to the first 30 kids registered. (Online registration will close when registration is full.)
  • Walk-up entries will be accepted if open spots remain on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024.
  • Bring your child’s cornbread entry at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023, to the Lenexa Senior Center, 13425 Walnut St.
    • Make sure you turn in at least six servings in a disposable container.
    • Your child’s entry will be judged on creativity, appearance and taste.

Winners

We will announce the winners with the chili contest awards on stage at approximately 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. The top three finishers will receive a ribbon, kids’ apron and a gift card.

Event schedule

Friday, Oct. 11, 2024

6 p.m.

  • Gates open to the public

6 to 9 p.m.

  • Face painter and balloon artist

7 to 8 p.m.

  • Live music: M80s

8 p.m.

  • Fireworks display (weather permitting)

8:30 to 10 p.m.

  • Live music: M80s

10 p.m.

  • Gates closed to the public

Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024

10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

  • Gates open to the public.
  • Free samples available from teams, while supplies last
  • Kids Kornbread Contest turn-in
  • Turn-in and judging

10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

  • Face painters and balloon artists

11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

  • Live music: M80s

4 p.m.

  • Contest winners announced

What you need to know

Parking

Park on any public street. There is limited space available, including handicap-accessible parking, in the Lenexa Old Town Activity Center parking lot. We do not have shuttles for this event. 

Friday 

Many teams host private parties on Friday but the public is welcome to enjoy live music and purchase food and beverages from vendors. Kids can get their face painted or a balloon twisted. The fireworks show takes place at 8 p.m.

Saturday

Teams offer free chili samples beginning at 10 a.m. until they’re gone. You can also enjoy live music, children’s face painting and balloon twisting or purchase food and drinks from vendors. 

Alcohol

Only competition teams can bring in alcoholic beverages during the check-in process. Others must purchase alcoholic beveages on-site.

Pets

Please keep your pets at home. Only service dogs allowed.

Plan to walk

Chili Challenge attracts thousands and people roam from tent to tent. Bikes, skateboards and motorized vehicles are not allowed in the event. Exceptions are wheelchairs or other devices needed by people with disabilities.

Vendors

Pops Soda Shop, LLC: Ice cream, cotton candy, healthy smoothies

Butterfluff Popcorn: Kettle Corn

Grub Wagon/KC Treat Truck: Funnel cakes, hot dogs, brats, pretzels, nachos chips & cheese, chips, lemonade, drinks

Rotary Club of Lenexa: Beverages including alcohol

Lite-Em-Up: Lite up toys, candy, novelties

The Big Cheese: Foot-long corn dog, deep-fried cheese curds, onion rings, chicken tenders, funnel fries, French fries, hot fudge sundaes, shakes, malts, Root beer floats, fresh squeezed lemonade, water, soda

KC Kona Ice: Shaved ice, bottled water

Road closures

To maintain a safe area and ensure access for emergency personnel, several roads in the Old Town area will be closed to traffic or have restricted access between Friday, Oct. 11, at 7:30 a.m. to Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, at 6 p.m.

Road closures map will be available closer to the event.

Contest results 2023

Complete results 

Photos of winners

Overall

  • Grand Champion: Howlin' at the Spoon (Olathe, KS)
    • Head Cook: Wade Schneider
  • Reserve Grand Champion: Men of Erin (Shawnee, KS)
    • Head Cook: John Kindel
  • Third Place Overall: Lord of the Beans (Lenexa, KS)
    • Head Cook: Nick Gay

Traditional Chili Division

  • First Place: Men of Erin (Shawnee, KS)
    • Head Cook: John Kindel
  • Second Place: Pico De Carley (Olathe, KS)
    • Head Cook: TJ Carley
  • Third Place: Moe Dangie Hillbilly Chili 3 (Lee's Summit, MO)
    • Head Cook: Chris Nix

Home Style Chili Division

  • First Place: T-Rex Chili-a-sore (Leavenworth, KS)

    • Head Cook: Rex Walker

  • Second Place: Chili Gone Wild (Leavenworth, KS)

    • Head Cook: Jeff Gilliland

  • Third Place: Pico De Carley (Olathe, KS)

    • Head Cook: TJ Carley

Hot Wings Division

  • First Place: C&C Colon Cleanser (Shawnee, KS)

    • Head Cook: Seth Cohen

  • Second Place: Muchos Gaseous (Fort Leavenworth, KS)

    • Head Cook: Marc Lassalle

  • Third Place: T's Country Kitchen (Lane, KS)

    • Head Cook: Ted Moore

Salsa Division

  • First Place: Chili Monsters (Overland Park, KS)

    • Head Cook: Paula Conley

  • Second Place: Good Enough (Olathe, KS)

    • Head Cook: Jerret Perrin

  • Third Place: Xeno Chili (Stilwell, KS)

    • Head Cook: Tom Haymaker

Kids Kornbread Contest

  • First Place: Sedona & Oslos Bestest Cornbread

    • Head Cook: Sedona Stewart

  • Second Place: Peyton

    • Head Cook: Peyton Brown

  • Third Place: Carley Cornbread Cookers

    • Head Cook: JR Carley

JDRF Fundraising Award

  • First Place: Moe Dangie Hillbilly Chili (Excelsior Springs, MO)

  • Second Place: Wrong Side of the Tracks (Lenexa, KS)

  • Third Place: Master Basters (Lenexa, KS)


Event sponsors

PRESENTED BY
Williams Foods logo

Major Sponsors

EverFast Fiber Networks logo   101 The Fox logo

Platinum Sponsors

Community Builder Sponsors

  • Block Real Estate Services

Gold Sponsors

  • The LoFTS at City Center

Event status

To find out whether an event is canceled or delayed, check our notification line below or call 913.477.7170.

When

  • Friday, October 11, 2024 | 06:00 PM - 10:00 PM
  • Saturday, October 12, 2024 | 10:00 AM - 03:00 PM

Location

Old Town Lenexa, Santa Fe Trail Drive & Pflumm Road, Lenexa, KS, 66215, View Map

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