THE HOTTEST TICKET IN LAS VEGAS!!!
MANDALAY BAY TO HOST THE 38 TH ANNUAL WORLD'S CHAMPIONSHIP CHILI COOKOFF SANCTIONED BY THE INTERNATIONAL CHILI SOCIETY
The best chili cooks in the entire world deserve the best place in the world to strut their stuff, so the International Chili Society's 38 th Annual World's Championship Chili Cookoff will be front and center at the most prestigious property in Las Vegas - Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino! On the weekend of October 22-24, chili connoisseurs from around the world will descend upon Las Vegas, Nevada, to determine who makes the best bowl of chili. The International Chili Society will show off the finest chili cooks from all over the world. Over 300 first place winners of Regional, State and Double-District ICS cookoffs will conjure up their closely-guarded secret recipes while 350 hungry judges invited from every area of the country stand by to savor and scrutinize every sacred bite. Trophies and a total of $40,000 in prize money will be presented to the winners of the Traditional Red, Chili Verde and Salsa competitions. For the past three years, the winners have received additional prizes from sponsors and partners of the International Chili Society. Chile Pepper Magazine's publisher, Joel Gregory, made an unexpected donation of an all expense paid trip to the magazine's biggest event, ZestFest 2004 in Ft. Worth, Texas. Camp Chef's, Ed Quinlan, presented the 2003 winners with fabulous products from the camp stove company. We just don't know what to expect this year!
Chili cooks who have failed to qualify during the 2004 cooking season will get one “last chance” to qualify for the traditional red chili category by signing up for the Last Chance Cookoff that starts bright and early Friday morning, Oct. 22 nd . With a start like that, everyone should be all fired up for the Kickoff Party on Friday evening. Once again, the ICS family will come together for the Big Dance. The cooks will share their travels, share their past year's experiences on the chili trail and share a laugh or two, but under no circumstances will they share their recipes – not even with their spouse. The Kickoff Party will take place at Mandalay Bay's South Lagoon Pool. This pool surrounded by tropical vegetation has recently been completed and is open just in time for our big splash! The pool is located just beside the cookoff site and begins at 7:00pm and will be over when it's over!!
The term “World's Champion” applies to the best of the best and it's definitely World's Championship weekend at Mandalay Bay. The first weekend of the Professional Bull Riders World's Finals will held at Mandalay Bay's Events Center before moving to the Thomas and Mack Arena for the second weekend of their finals. Performances begin at 6:00pm on Friday and Saturday nights, Sunday at 4:50pm. Tickets may be purchased by calling Team PBR at 719-471-3008 extension 3-136 or 702-284-7777. Check out the PBR website at www.PBRNOW.com for further details. TICKETS WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE ICS.
If you've never been to Mandalay Bay, you may not realize that the resort and casino is the size of a small city! Mandalay Bay's Convention Center parking area will be turned into a myriad of cooking booths, vendor displays and special attractions to delight the most discriminating tastes. Live bands, The Miss Chili Pepper contest, Mister Hot Sauce contest, the Shoot N'Holler contest and the World's Championship Chili Eating contest will entertain the fiery food enthusiasts while the cooks do their magic. Just inside the Convention Center, the Fan Zone and Marketplace will offer everything Western. The International Chili Society's FIREFEST vendors must specialize in nothing but hot and spicy. Tradition will continue as the newest Shelby cars will be on display and Carroll Shelby himself will be in the VIP area to be sure that we're still doing everything up to snuff.
Las Vegas is the entertainment capital of the world. If you're looking for a special dinner, an amazing show, the thrill of the bull riding or just a stroll down the Las Vegas Strip, after a day at the cookoff, choose the one that suits your fancy.
From the Last Chance Chili cookoff to the award's ceremony on Sunday afternoon, the hottest cooks, the spiciest vendors and the rankest bulls are what's in store this year in Las Vegas at the 38 th Annual World's Championship Chili Cookoff. Please refer to the special “box” for a list of hotels giving the ICS participants your special room rate. Be sure to give the hotel room reservation clerks the special “ chilihead ” code to receive the discounted rate. SEE YOU IN LAS VEGAS!!