Chili Cook-off returning to Santa Cruz Boardwalk — with 55 teams

The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk’s annual Chili Cook-Off returns Saturday, Oct. 25, with a record number of teams — 55 — cooking meaty and/or vegetarian chili for cash, plaques and bragging rights.

That’ll be a lot for chiliheads to sample, but a portion of the proceeds from every tasting kit purchased ($15 for eight sample cups) always supports a local cause. This year it will be Haven of Hope, a nonprofit that has been offering support services to current and former foster youth since 1998.

Awards will be given for Best Amateur Red, Best Amateur Vegetarian Red, Best Professional Red, Best Professional Vegetarian Red, along with People’s Choice, Most Tasted and Best Booth Theme.

Defending their 2024 titles will be the Ric’s Righteous team headed by San Jose’s Ric Gilbert, which won both the Professional Vegetarian and Professional Meat categories; the Smokin Hot Chili team from Campbell, which took first in the Amateur Meat category; and the Veggin’ Out team from Sunnyvale, which won the Amateur Vegetarian category.

Tasting kits will go on sale at 10 a.m., and each includes a People’s Choice ballot. The public tasting will begin at 1 p.m. Awards will be announced at 4 p.m. at the Pirate Ship Stage.

Details: Boardwalk admission is free. 400 Beach St., Santa Cruz; https://beachboardwalk.com/