The Spilli Chilli cookoff was born in January, 1995, over breakfast while looking out over a snow-covered frozen landscape.  Maybe it was the inevitable winter "cabin fever" that made us think of a nice sunny day, the air filled with the aroma of simmering pots of blazing hot chili and the sound of some "down home" music. Whatever the inspiration, we set out to plan the first ever Spilli Chilli cookoff.  This was no easy task, 'cause almost none of the hardy souls in this neck of the woods had ever heard of a chilli cookoff much less attended or planned one.  However, the idea met with enthusiasm and cooperation from all quarters and pretty soon a site was picked out, prizes were donated, cooks said "Yeah, why not?", and we were being swept along all the while wondering just what the outcome would be.

Good friend Cliff wrote a song especially for the event and organized a couple of inspiring "geetar" players to join him in performing the masterpiece.  A makeshift stage was set up on a flat bed trailer and, lo and behold, musicians showed up on the "day" from up and down the valley.  The amount of talent displayed that day was amazing.

Artists and craftspeople set up tables to display their work and fourteen chili cooking stations were created.  The rules were pretty loose (as in none) and culinary masterpieces containing everything from the traditional beef to exotic concoctions of mango and rhubarb made their way to the judging table.  A couple of hundred curious valley residents showed up to see just what was going on and were treated to a day of wonderful sights, smells, tastes and sounds.  Old friends visited, kids played, danced and sang and it seemed everyone had a really good time.

The next year found the cookoff with a new home, across the Columbia river on Susan Stewart's meadow along Westside Road.  Some of the cooks from the first year returned and a few new faces were seen at cook sites.  More musicians made the trek to Spillimacheen to treat the even bigger crowd to fantastic music during the afternoon.  This was the home for the cookoff for the next four years.  Some years the weather cooperated with beautiful, sunny, crisp spring days and some years the rain threatened during the day, but always the folks attending had a good day of renewing old friendships and enjoying the tastes and sounds only a chili cookoff can provide.  

Festivities were put on hold for two years until a new site could be found.  Then in 2001 an offer was made by a longtime Spillimacheen resident, Frances Dunne, to use a beautiful, treed site just off the highway for a minimum of ten years.  Work began that summer to prepare the site and the following June, the sixth event was held with veteran Spilli Chilli cooks once again performing their magic.  A permanent stage was started with Will Wardwell heading the construction.  A good crowd attended and felt the new area was indeed "home" for the cookoff and all looked forward to many years of good times there.  The 2003 cookoff will hopefully see the stage completed and plans are pending to bring electricity and water to the site as funding is available.  

Compared to other chilli cookoffs, this one's not so "official" but we sure seem to have a lot more fun!