ChiliFest - WV State Chili Championship
Sat, Oct 17, 2026 · Huntington, WV · ICS-sanctioned
Our take written by Chili Times
ChiliFest is an ICS-sanctioned cook-off in Pullman Square in Huntington and a fundraiser for the Ronald McDonald House of Huntington. The listing says there is no admission fee, chili sample tickets are $1.00 each, and sampling runs noon to 4pm inside an 11am to 6pm event.
For cooks, entry is priced per category and paid to the organizer: $40.00 for Traditional Red and $35.00 each for Homestyle and Chili Verde. ICS membership is required, and the listing says 20x20 foot tents are provided.
Our plain-language reading of the sanctioning body's listing quoted on this page. It adds no facts of its own.
ChiliFest - WV State Chili Championship Sat, Oct 17, 2026
Date as printed
ChiliFest - WV State Chili Championship
Location as printed
Saturday10/17/2026
Location as printed
Pullman Square 3rd Avenue & Pullman Square Huntington,WV
| Category | Entry fee |
|---|---|
| Traditional Red | $40.00 |
| Homestyle | $35.00 |
| Chili Verde | $35.00 |
Traditional Red: fee and prizes
Traditional Red Entry Fee: $40.00 Prizes 0th - Blenko Glass trophy 0th - Blenko Glass trophy 1st - $1,500 cash, WV Grand Champion Blenko Glass trophy, representation of West Virginia at the 2026 ICS World’s Chili Championship 3rd - $300 cash and a Blenko Glass trophy 3rd - $200 cash and a Blenko Glass trophy
Homestyle: fee and prizes
Homestyle Entry Fee: $35.00 Prizes 1st - $250 cash, Blenko glass trophy, and representation of West Virginia at the 2026 ICS World’s Chili Championship 2nd - $100 cash, Blenko glass trophy 3rd - $50 cash and a Blenko glass trophy
Chili Verde: fee and prizes
Chili Verde Entry Fee: $35.00 Prizes 1st - $700 cash and a Blenko Glass trophy, representation of West Virginia at the 2026 ICS World’s Chili Championship 2nd - $200 cash and a Blenko Glass trophy. 3rd - $100 cash and a Blenko Glass trophy.
For visitors
Event time - 11am-6pm
Chili Sampling - noon - 4pm
This fundraising event for The Ronald McDonald House of Huntington brings chili cooks from across the East Coast and the Midwest to compete in traditional red chili, chili verde, and homestyle chili.
We also encourage local groups and organization to participate in the People’s Choice category, awarded to the group that raises the most money for the Ronald McDonald House via chili sample ticket sales.
We look forward to seeing our cooking teams, friends, and family come together for another year of chili, music, and community!
There is no admission fee.
Chili samples tickets are $1.00 each benefiting the Ronald McDonald House.
There is a Toyota RAV4 being raffled off and given away at ChiliFest.
Beverage tent with softdrinks and beer sold; vendors for food; live entertainment on stage; Kids Corner event sponsored by Marshall Health is free for kids; Games on stage with Hot Pepper Eating Contest, Beer Drinking Contest, Shoot n' Holler Contest.
Fun throughout the day.
For cooks
You must be an ICS Member to compete.
Entry fees are separate per category (i.e.
Red, Homestyle, Verde, etc.) and will be collected independently by the Cook-off Organizer.
• 20x20 foot tents provided
• Cooks must bring their own chairs and supplies - 2 tables provided
• All cooking teams should plan to arrive starting at 8:00 am, Saturday to set up.
You will need to enter the cookoff area at 3rd Avenue by way of 8th Street and come to the Registration/Judging Tent to register.
Please unload your equipment after registration and move your vehicle outside the cookoff area to one of the parking garages or other nearby lots.
People's Choice
ALL CONTESTANTS must prepare TWO gallons of People’s Choice chili (PC).
Please note that the # of gallons of PC is per cook, not per category.
How to enter
ICS: who can compete
Adult Cooks: Must be active ICS members and 18 years old and over.
The listing's own registration and details are on ICS cook-off listing: ChiliFest - WV State Chili Championship.
Check before you go. Cook-off dates, fees and details change, and events can be cancelled. Confirm on ICS cook-off listing: ChiliFest - WV State Chili Championship and ICS: Upcoming Cook-offs; we last found these words there on October 14, 2026.
Other West Virginia cook-offs on the calendar
By date, not a ranking.
- Wagging Tails and Nitro Ales · Sat, Nov 14, 2026