ChiliTimes

Festival of Lights CCO

Sat, Dec 5, 2026 · Smithville, TX · CASI-sanctioned

Our take written by Chili Times

The Festival of Lights CCO is a CASI cook-off at 106 NE 1st St in Smithville, held during the town's 35th Christmas Festival of Lights and benefiting the Smithville Chamber of Commerce. The listing gives awards at 3:30 pm, public tasting while the chili lasts, and a local open division with places 1st through 3rd.

CASI entry is $30.00 with a 2pm turn-in and an open meat requirement. Cooks come for the day, with no overnight parking at the park.

Our plain-language reading of the sanctioning body's listing quoted on this page. It adds no facts of its own.

Festival of Lights CCO Sat, Dec 5, 2026

Chili Appreciation Society International (CASI) · Smithville, TX

The CASI list entry
12/5/2026 Festival of Lights CCO 106 NE 1st St Smithville TX 78957 AQ: No turn in: 2pm Fee: $30.00 Meat Requirement: Open Charity: Smithville Chamber of Commerce
CASI: Event List, Next 90 Days · our check found this text on November 2, 2026
From the CASI list entry (our table of its fields).
Entry fee$30.00
Turn-in2pm
Meat requirementOpen
AQ (qualifier)No
CharitySmithville Chamber of Commerce

For visitors

All aboard for a full flavor chili competition and hometown Christmas fun!
CASI: Event List, Next 90 Days · our check found this text on November 2, 2026
Held during Smithvilles 35th Christmas Festival of Lights: Christmas on the Katy LineRegisgration 7:30 - 9:3 am, cooks meeting 9:46,awards 3:30 pm.
CASI: Event List, Next 90 Days · our check found this text on November 2, 2026
Local Open division 1st thru 3rd.
CASI: Event List, Next 90 Days · our check found this text on November 2, 2026
Public tasting while suites last.
CASI: Event List, Next 90 Days · our check found this text on November 2, 2026
Day cooks only at Railrod Park; no overnight parking.
CASI: Event List, Next 90 Days · our check found this text on November 2, 2026
Lodging//RV info at Visit Smithville.org
CASI: Event List, Next 90 Days · our check found this text on November 2, 2026

How to enter

CASI: membership
Although one does not have to be a member of CASI to participate in chili cookoffs
CASI: Official CASI Rules (PDF) · our check found this text on November 2, 2026
CASI's event list
**On all the events listed, CASI RULES APPLY!
CASI: Event List, Next 90 Days · our check found this text on November 2, 2026

Add up entry fees for the categories you'd cook →

Check before you go. Cook-off dates, fees and details change, and events can be cancelled. Confirm on CASI: Event List, Next 90 Days and CASI: Event List, Next 90 Days; we last found these words there on November 2, 2026.

Other Texas cook-offs on the calendar

By date, not a ranking.

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