New Castle’s Tree Lighting Ceremony is taking place Friday at Burning Mountain Park and includes lots of holiday cheer and events. 

Tickets go on sale at 5:30 p.m. for chili-tasting at $10 for adults and $5 for kids under 10 years old and those tickets include hot chocolate. Beer tickets are also being sold for $7 each. 

The Tree Lighting Ceremony will be led by New Castle Mayor Art Riddile at 6 p.m. and at 6:15 p.m., the Elk Creek Elementary Choir performance begins. 

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Santa Claus will be in the gazebo for this event, so have Christmas lists or gifts in mind. Along with Santa, some of his herd of reindeer will be at the event. 

The Chili Cook-off this year is for a chance to win some prizes and make some excellent chili. 

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For anyone who still wants to compete, they must register online at newcastlerec.com and pay $20. Space is limited. This year, mac and cheese has been struck from the menu and will only be a chili cookoff.

Contestant numbers will be randomly assigned and contestants must make a 12″x12″ sign or smaller with their number in bold lettering to be placed at their station. They can include the name of the chili, a description of it and their name or business name. 

Rules for the chili cook-off include no business banners or giveaway swag or coupons. However, business cards are allowed and business-promoting shirts and hats are too. 

Chili must be kept at least at 140 degrees so be sure to bring your own extension cords, food warming appliances like crockpots, serving ladles, the sign with your number on it and a chair or stool if needed. 

Table space and electrical access will be available for contestants. Be prepared to bring 3 gallons of chili, about three to four ‘crockpots’ full. Each station must be attended to and supervised at all times. 

Tasting bowls, spoons and ballots will be provided by New Castle Recreation and only these may be used for tasting chili. Contestants should not be supplying bowls, cups or spoons. 

The first 350 tasters to purchase their tasting cups will receive voting ballots. Voters and tasters don’t need to sample chili in numeric order. 

Voters should sample all chilis if possible: contestants should try to serve one-quarter of a cup of chili or less per person. The more tasters you can serve, the more potential votes you’ll get. 

Winners will be determined by anonymous judges and popular votes. There will be separate prizes for Judge’s Champion, which is decided by seven anonymous judges and People’s Choice, which is determined by public tasters. 

For anyone purchasing a tasting ticket, adults are $10 and kids 10 and under are $5. Ticket sales begin at 5:30 p.m. and end at 7:30 p.m. At 8 p.m., the voting ends and winners will be announced shortly afterwards. 

For more information, call the New Castle Recreation Office at 970-984-3352 or email Kelley at kcox@newcastlecolorado.org.