Team Fee
Fees are due no later than April 1, 2023.
Final team name must be submitted no later than April 1, 2023.

Team captains need to identify their desire to participate in the cornhole tournament or showmanship by April 1st.

Cookoff activity plan
Please note the turn-in time for the judging chili is 2:00 p.m.

Some general rules to remember:

* Each team is reminded to follow the chili judging criteria that is being distributed.

* It is absolutely essential that no team sabotage other teams' chili. You will be disqualified from judging if this happens.

* Each team is required to cook 4 gallons (at least 20 lbs. of meat) minimum for public tasting using the same recipe as chili to the judges. Each team will be checked for compliance and failure to provide the minimum chili will be disqualified from the chili judging.

* All chili must be cooked from scratch. Ingredients may be pre-cut and measured, but no ingredients may be pre-cooked.

* Reserve 1 quart of chili for judging and turn your chili on time at 2:00 p.m.

* Retain your ticket number in order to determine where you placed in the chili competition after the cookoff.

* One "People's Choice" voting token will be provided at the ticket tent. Voting ends at 3:00 p.m. Ticket turn is in a ballet box under the pavillion.

* All team members are responsible to ensure minors do not drink beer and to ensure there are no abuses of alcohol. Please help us to check for the wearing of wrist bands throughout the day. This wrist band must be worn in order to have access to the beer.

We must abide by the Gilruth Recreation Center rules

* All vehicles will be parked in the parking lots. No cars or trucks are allowed in the picnic area, NOT EVEN TO UNLOAD. Please keep the parking area nearest the pavilion vacant to allow teams to unload there.
* No open fires and no animals allowed.
* Minors will not be served alcohol - drinking age is 21 years.
* Intoxicated persons will not be served or allowed to remain in the area
* Individual drinks cannot be carried from the area

* Please remember our Johnson Space Center Voluntary Protection Program and help everyone to maintain a safe and healthy environment.
* See the JSC Visitor Brochure for more information.

* All teams will be required to provide one preliminary judge. Carefully choose this judge and brief that person on the enclosed "chili judging criteria" and "judges sheet". You will be notified the day of the cookoff if your team is chosen to be a preliminary judge.

Awards to be given include:

* First through sixth place trophies for best judged chili
* First place chili receives a traveling trophy to be returned the following year
* People's Choice Best Chili - first place trophy
* First through third place trophies for showmanship
* First through third place ribbons for the cornhole tournament

* All team members are required to purchase a ticket. Tickets will also be available the day of the cookoff for $15.00, but we would like to discourage this so that we can get a fairly accurate count of attendance.

* Overnight camping on Friday is allowed.

* There are a limited number of picnic tables at the picnic area, so please do not depend on these being available and bring your own. Several will need to be used for other cookoff activities. If a team has claimed a table in their cooksite, please do not remove from that area. Also do not remove any tables from roped off areas reserved for activities and judging.

* Remember to bring plenty of lawn chairs as none are available.

* Storefront tear-down will not be allowed until after the awards ceremony.

* Teams must clean up their own area before leaving. You will be provided a trash bag. Take all trash from your cooksite to the dumpster across the main rec center road. Do not put trash bags by barrels. Your team will be subject to a $50.00 fine if trash is left as we will have to pay the rec center for clean-up.

* Cooking with open toed shoes can be dangerous to your health.

* Do not give out chili to the public or team members until 12:00 pm.

* Cookoff committee members will be wearing committee shirts if you need to ask for assistance.

* No pets, bikes, or rollerblades allowed on the rec center grounds.

* There will be no electrical power available for team use. Generators are allowed as long as they are not too loud. Since there will be entertainment throughout the day, please limit any music to your cooksite only.

* Inclement weather plans (parking) will be posted on website.