It’s 1 p.m. on a bitterly cold Saturday afternoon and the Ithaca Commons is serving up the perfect remedy for the frigid weather: warm, hearty chili. The 12th annual Great Downtown Chili Cook-Off and Winterfest is in full effect as bright white snowflakes fall every so often on wooden stands being tended by chefs and local restaurants from the Ithaca area.
As large clusters of people enter the Chilifest and proceed to purchase tickets to try different variations of the tailgating favorite, one group in particular stand out. Two couples with gray hair, bundled up in heavy jackets with Chili Cook-Off lapel pins attached pay for their daily passes and are ready to try the best chili Ithaca has to offer.
As the group approaches one stand, one man says to another, “Hey, didn’t this guy win the Cook-Off last year?”
“Yeah, I think it was,” the other elderly gentleman said.
“Do you want to wait on line?” one woman says to the group. “It looks as if it’s going to be quite a while.”
The men, hungry for a nice warm Styrofoam cup filled of chili, look at the line of people. They seem discouraged by the length queue, as upwards of 30 people wait patiently for the award-winning chili. Finally one of the men make a decision.
“What the hell, I’m starving!”
Several minutes later the group picks up the chili and moves on to their next destination, with satisfied grins and slightly fuller stomachs. For locals, Chilifest is a chance to experience the beauty and charm of Ithaca, even when the weather is freezing.
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