Chili Cookoff Attracts Record Crowd

www.allaboutcountry.com reports that twenty years ago, KISS Country started a tradition of bringing together the best country music with the spiciest chili during the First KISS Country Chili Cookoff.

Now two decades later, this nationally renowned event, which was held on January 30, 2005 at C.B. Smith Park in Pembroke Pines, broke all attendance records and is still going strong. The Twentieth Anniversary KISS Country Chili Cookoff combined a full day of family fun, chili contests sanctioned by the International Chili Society and a great line-up of country music headlined by Hank Williams, Jr. In addition to Hank, Jr., Keith Urban, Montgomery Gentry, Big & Rich, and newcomer Katrina Elam performed. For the first time in its 20-year history, the show had a co-host, Terri Clark, who joined the air personalities on stage and shared emceeing duties.

Record crowds packed the park beginning the night before the event, parking their vehicles outside the gates to insure seating up close to the stage. Fans came from as far away as California and Canada to see their favorite country artists on a typically beautiful South Florida day. Over 75 teams of chili cooks competed for the chance to win the title of Best Chili with the first place honors going to “Sky’s the Limit,” captained by Fred Boehm of Fort Lauderdale, winning $500 and advancing to the International Chili Society’s next level of competition.

“As we plan for the 21st Birthday of the KISS Country Chili Cookoff in 2006, we are thrilled at how much of a tradition this event has become for country music fans and chili aficionados throughout the Southeast,” said Joe Bell, WKIS’ General Manager. “Every luminary of Country Music has played the Chili Cookoff at least once during our star-studded history. We are looking forward to continuing that tradition for many years to come.”

Check out tons of pictures at WKIS.com.