Chili follows chilly weather; cars rev up for competition

With the wind whipping its way through the pines recently, it’s still a bit chilly in Cambria — which means the thought of a different kind of chili (the warm, spicy kind) is a welcome one as spring gets underway.

Twelve to 14 chili cooks and their teams will descend on the Pinedorado Grounds on April 16 for the annual Chili Cook-Off and Car Show, cooking up a variety of treats for North Coast residents and visitors to sample.

Visitors can have a full bowl for tasting all of the offerings for $10.

“Competition will be fierce among the chefs, so it is an important duty for each attendee to vote for their favorite chili,” said Mary Ann Carson, executive director of the Cambria Chamber of Commerce, which is sponsoring the event. “Sometimes it takes several tastes of each!”

The chili competition runs from noon to 3 p.m., with Rotary members selling cold beer and wine ($5) to accompany the tasting. Trophies will be awarded at 3 p.m.

Judges for this year’s contest are “resident chili-head” Clif Coimbra; Manta Rey Restaurant owners Miguel and Theresa de Alba; author Samaire Provost; Cambrian editor/author Stephen H. Provost; and Cambria Citizen of the Year Teri Sanders.

Charmaine Coimbra is the organizer.

The other half of the attraction is the car show, which begins at 10 a.m. and features a table full of items donated by local merchants for a raffle. Tickets for the 1:30 p.m. drawing go on sale at 10 a.m.

Attendance at the car show is free, and car plaques will be awarded throughout the day.

Between 600 and 800 people generally attend the event. About 55 cars were entered in the 2015 show.

In the chili event, last year’s winners, La Terraza (first place, judges) and Moonstone Beach Bar & Grill (people’s choice) will both have entries again this year.

Others vying for top awards will include West End Bar and Grill, T-Rex Chili, Sons of the American Legion, 5 Hundy Chili, Scenic Coast Termite Control, Jason’s Chili, South Paw Chili and Wild Ginger.

This story was originally published April 6, 2016 at 10:09 AM with the headline "Chili follows chilly weather; cars rev up for competition."