When you combine a festive atmosphere and great entertainment, a car cruise and some fantastic chili you get the recipe for the 24^th annual Wheeling Feeling Chili Cookoff!

The event is set for noon to 6 p.m., rain or shine, Saturday, June 1 at Wheeling’s Heritage Port. The Chili Cookoff is free and open to the public. However, beverages and “taster” cups for chili will be sold by the United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley.

“The proceeds from the Wheeling Feeling Chili Cookoff benefit the United Way, so we invite area restaurants as well as individual cooks to make some great pots of chili as we focus on setting another fundraising goal for an organization that makes such a difference in our community,” said Committee Chair Rosemary Humway-Warmuth. “We are excited to welcome everyone to another great cookoff.”

All chili cooks - commercial, restaurants, individual and youth, ages 6-17 – can enter the cook-off, which is presented by the City of Wheeling and sanctioned by the 

International Chili Society. There is no entry fee. Cash prizes will be awarded in several categories including Veggie, ICS Chili Verde, ICS Homestyle and ICS Red. Other awards will also be given. The Commercial category includes restaurants, businesses, professional/fraternal/educational groups, or a combination of these groups as a team to cook and serve the chili samples. Humway-Warmuth noted vendors selling items such as crafts, food and spice products, apparel and jewelry are also welcome.    

The first-place winners in all the ICS categories will be eligible to enter the 2024 ICS World Cook-off as well as qualify for the 2024 World Food Championships. All youth participants will automatically qualify for the World Cook-off in Myrtle Beach, Sept. 27-29. 

The day’s entertainment will be provided by The Trainjumpers. A car cruise will also be held as a part of the cookoff from noon to 4 p.m. at 12^th and Water Streets. Dash plaques will be given to car cruise participants. There is no entry fee.

"The United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley is excited to partner with the City of Wheeling on the Wheeling Feeling Chili Cookoff,” said Staci Stephen, executive director of the United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley. The Wheeling Feeling Chili Cookoff is one of our favorite events of the year and we can't thank the City of Wheeling enough. All the proceeds go to the United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley's Annual Campaign, Raised Here. Stays Here. which means 100% of the proceeds stays local in the Ohio Valley and goes to benefit 33 great causes. We hope everyone can make it to Heritage Port on June 1 to taste some of the best chili in the valley, listen to great music and have a great time."

To register to participate in the Chili Cookoff, visit www.chilicookoff.com. To join the ICS, or for information on the event, email chilicookoff@wheelingwv.gov or call 304-234-3636.