New Castle holiday chili cook-off, mac-and-cheese competition, tree lighting ceremony Dec. 2
Courtesy/Rochelle Firth
Nothing like a hot bowl of chili on a cold winter’s day.
New Castle ushers in the holiday season this year with a tasty chili cook-off and tree lighting ceremony next week. The event also includes live music, fire pits, a mac-and-cheese competition, beer garden, photos with Santa Claus and more.
Festivities begin at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 2 at Burning Mountain Park, 450 W. Main St., in downtown New Castle, Town Administrator David Reynolds said.
“This annual event brings together the community to enjoy one final town-hosted event before the end of the year,” he said. “As an added treat this year we are adding a mac-and-cheese competition to the event.”
New Castle uses this event to accrue enough capital to enhance holiday decor around town and to support future holiday chili cook-offs. For the 2021 event, there were 270 participants in the chili cook-off and an estimated additional 150 attendees for an estimated $1,500 in profit.
Courtesy/Rochelle Firth
New Castle Recreation Coordinator Kelley Cox said the event is the perfect kickoff “for our little town.”
“It is a chance for all of us to come together to enjoy music, Santa, good food and the Christmas spirit with our neighbors and friends,” she said.
Tickets for the chili cook-off and mac-and-cheese competition can be purchased in advance at newcastle.com, with adult tickets $10 and kids $5.
Any interested chili and mac-and-cheese cooks interested in competing in this year’s event can contact the New Castle Recreation Department at 970-984-2311.
SCHEDULE
- Chili cook-off competition: 5:30 p.m.
- Mac & cheese competition: 5:30 p.m.
- Elk Creek Elementary Choir performance: 6 p.m.
- Holiday tree lighting ceremony, hosted by New Castle Mayor Art Riddile: 7 p.m.
- Holiday music, hosted by Two Rivers Productions: all evening
- Fire pits: all evening
- Hot chocolate: all evening
- Photos with Santa, hosted by Samantha Gates, photography, sponsorship by EMBRYN Keller Williams Colorado West Realty: all evening
- Beer garden sales: all evening
What: New Castle holiday chili cook-off, mac-and-cheese competition, tree lighting ceremony
When: 5:30 p.m. Dec. 2
Where: Burning Mountain Park, 450 West Main St.
How much: Tickets for the chili cookoff and mac-and-cheese competition can be purchased in advance at newcastle.com, with adult tickets $10 and kids $5
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