The Malibu community came together at the 42nd Annual Malibu Chili Cook-Off. Newcomers and seasoned veterans of the festivities celebrated Labor Day weekend judging chili, supporting local business and enjoying carnival rides.
The Malibu Chili Cook-Off ran through the holiday weekend from Aug. 30 to Sept. 2. The festival saw more than 25,000 attendees walk through its gates this year, according to its website.
There were plenty of celebrity sightings at the festival this year, but it was the Malibu community who made the event so enjoyable, Cheryl Freeman said, a first-time visitor and owner of a local clothing and bottle business Tamra.
“I wasn’t quite sure what to expect,” Freeman said. “I think I kind of thought that it was just cooking chili, like all the carnival rides, all the little kids to the grandmas and grandpas, you know, everybody’s here, so that’s been nice.”
Freeman was one of more than 60 local businesses that were open throughout the festivities according the festival’s website. Despite the long hours, Freeman said she enjoyed getting to see the community.
“It’s been great,” Freeman said. “I mean, as far as work goes, it’s kind of long hours for me because it goes until 10, but it’s been really nice seeing the community. It’s been really fun chatting with everyone and of course getting my product out there.”
The weekend did have some spice to it though as the festival’s namesake chili cook-off came do a boil. This year, eight contestants duked it out for the honor of three awards — best vegan chili, best meat chili and the people’s choice.
The vegan and meat chili awards were decided by more than a dozen judges while the people’s choice award was open to all visitors of the festival. Voting was open Friday through Saturday and after thousands of bowls were emptied, a clear winner was announced on Sunday. The aptly named Chili Preppers made a clean sweep and picked up all three awards.
The price of admission this year was $40 but lowered to $20 for family day on Labor Day. The festival partnered again this year with the Boys & Girls Club of Malibu, which will receive all proceeds from the chili cook-off.
Aside from the competition, there was plenty of fun to be had around the festival. For a separate fee, festival goers could enjoy rollercoasters, carnival games, live music, a small skateboarding park, a haunted house and even a small pickleball court.
The festival has become a Labor Day staple for Malibu and even some former Pepperdine students, like alumna Chloé Boudames (’21).
“I’ve been coming since I started going to Pepperdine my freshman year in 2017,” Boudames said. “I think it’s just cool that there’s an event in Malibu at all. I feel like Malibu needs more events and so I feel that [it] makes it exciting and something to look forward to. It brings the community together.”
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Contact George Davis via email: george.davis2@pepperdine.edu
