12 teams compete for the 47th Great Northern Chili Cook Off throne

Today (Saturday) is the second day of the BC Gourmet Arts Festival at the Kin Centre, and the main attraction for many was just held.

The 47th Great Northern Chili Cook Off ran from 11:00 to 2:00 this afternoon, where 12 teams of local organizations and politicians competed for the title of Prince George Chili Champion.

Hundreds of people toured the 12 booths with bowls to sample the chili and then cast their vote for the best ones afterwards.

“It has been very busy. Very, very, pleased, lots of fun,” Janice Colquhoun, one of the chili chefs for the Community Arts Council, told My PG Now.

The Community Arts Council has put on the BC Gourmet Arts Festival, which absorbed the annual Chili Cookoff last year.

This is the 47th year the cookoff has been held in Prince George.

We asked Colquhoun what the secret to making the best chili is, but she wouldn’t crack.

“If it weren’t a secret I could tell you, but if it is a secret I would have to kill you. So, what can I say,” she said.

Looking out at the crowd, Colquhoun was very happy with the support the city was showing.

“I love it,” she said. “If we can make the Arts Council more prevalent in the mind, we’ll do that. And if we have to be foolish and wear funny things, we will,” she said, gesturing to the fake tinsel hair coming from under her chef’s hat.

“Thanks for the support! It is your community, it makes it better,” she added.

The Cookoff is now over, but the festival is not.

Vendors from across Northern BC are set up in Kin 1 until 6:00 tonight, and are back again tomorrow from 10:00 – 4:00.

Share Hope will be holding a pancake breakfast at the festival from 10:00 – 12:00 tomorrow, all the proceeds will go towards helping Ukrainian refugees move to, and settle in Prince George.

For more information on the festival, click here.