A perfect fall day brought more than 1,000 guests to enjoy the annual Cow Hill Yacht Club Chili Cook Off Sunday in Saugatuck’s Wicks Park.
The Cook Off was a competition between 14 top area restaurants. They served chilis competing in two categories: traditional and unique, as well as for the overall prize, the Peoples’ Choice Award.
Winning that prize, voted on by all guests attending, was first-time entrant Marker 14, the soon-to-be-opened venue next to Wicks Park. Marker 14 also took home third place in the Unique category.
First place in the Unique category, as well as third in Traditional, was Saugataco. The BARge took second in both the Unique and Traditional chils.
Winning first in the Traditional category was the Graafschap Fire Department.
Other contestants included: Bowdie’s Chop House, Butler Pantry, the Cove, Duck Alley, Phil’s Bar & Grille, Retro Boat Rentals, Saugatuck Brewery, Spectators, The Butler, The Little Store, and Wicks Park Bar & Grille.
Cow Hill commodore Mike Applegate and event organizer Ken Trester thanked the dozens of volunteers who set up and ran the complex event without a hitch. Support from the City of Saugatuck Department of Public Works was also vital. The volunteer judges who sampled and rated 28 different chilis, were crucial.
Besides sampling great chilies, guests enjoyed beer and wine and live music by the popular band Rock Shop.
Cow Hill Yacht Club, with more than 160 members, is called “The little club with a big heart.” It is a 501c3 not-for-profit formed in the area in 1976.
Members have one common goal … To help the less fortunate in the Saugatuck-Douglas area communities. All proceeds from the Chili Cook Off are used to help individuals and families who are in need of help with nowhere to turn.
For more information, visit www.cowhill.us.
