Terlingua Chili Cookoff(s)

Terlingua International Chili Championship sign.Championship Chili Cookoff sign.

It seemed simple enough. Instead of a shootout to determine who made the best chili, there would be a contest. It worked, too, for a while. But now -- in addition to arguing about which chili is better -- everybody's arguing about which cookoff is better. So you have to try 'em both.

A chili-loving crowd. Entrance to cookoff.Chili welcome sign.
Colorful chili afficianado.Colorful chili afficianado.Colorful chili afficianado.

So it's not really about chili anyway. Both cookoffs turned into a party, so now there are competing parties. So, once a year -- on the first weekend in November -- Terlingua is the biggest city in all of the Big Bend AND the biggest party.

Hills covered with campsites.Colorful chili afficianado.Colorful chili afficianados.Colorful chili afficianado.Crowd of chili fans.Colorful chili lovers.Chili lovers.The chili convoy.Colorful chili afficianado.Chili ladies.Crowd of chili fanatics.Chili musicians.Chili fans.Chili games.Colorful chili afficianado.Chili games.Chili fans on the move.Chili Flinstone tribute.Colorful chili afficianado.
Chili headquarters.Off-road chili vehicle.Chili queens.Performer.Chili babes.Target practice.Chili exhibition and booths.Colorful chili afficianado.Chili taste test.Colorful chili afficianado.

And -- don't forget to try the chili -- because whaterver your tastes, the best damn chili in the world is in Terlingua, Texas.