The F&M Trolley Barn recently came alive with the best chili in Salisbury for Waterworks Visual Arts Center’s 5th annual Big Chili Cook-Off.
More than 300 guests joined in the festive evening to support Waterworks’ educational and outreach programming.
The cook-off brought together eleven local cooks who competed for the coveted People’s Choice Big Chili Award.
Salisbury Mayor Paul Woodson, Rowan County Sheriff Kevin Auten, Chamber of Commerce President Elaine Spalding, Catawba College President Brien Lewis and Carson High School Football Coach Joe Pinyan were the judge’s panel who voted on the winners of the chili throwdown.
The People’s Choice Big Chili Award went to Chef David Thomas of the Country Club of Salisbury.
Winners of the chili throwdown were:
Most Original – Chris Foote with Longhorn Steakhouse;
Spiciest – Dory McClure with Go Burrito; and
Best All Around – Dr. Mike Miller with Salisbury Animal Hospital.
The crowd enjoyed dancing to music and playing Cornhole.
The Big Chili committee, consisting of Shari Graham, Henrietta Henderlite, Tracy Smith and Traci Williams, helped organize the event and were in charge of decorations.
Waterworks’ programs promote educational opportunities through hands-on studio classes for adults and children, artists’ talks, demonstrations and workshops, summer ARTventures classes for children, a summer middle school art residency and the Rowan-Salisbury School System’s fifth-grade ARTstop program.
Through outreach programs, Waterworks’ presence extends beyond the gallery walls to provide year-round studio classes and special initiatives for the general public, local school system, area colleges and universities, the developmentally and physically challenged, at-risk children and more.
For more information, visit waterworks.org.