Here Comes the Third Annual Great Mac and Chili Challenge

Get Ready to Celebrate Comfort Food at Its Finest!

Get ready cuz it's back! 

The 3rd Annual Great Mac & Chili Challenge to be held Sunday Nov. 5th at Sherwood Island State Park in Westport. 

“You never know where you might find a great chili or mac n' cheese” say event director Jim Keenan. “For example, you wouldn't expect a great mac n' cheese from a pizza joint, would you? Well you can find an incredible Alfredo Mac recently entered in this year from Pizza Planet in Norwalk”. 

That's just one example as you can find other examples like a great pesto mac n' cheese from the Cast Republic in Norwalk or a spinach and artichoke mac from Killer B also from Norwalk. 

All of the chili entries are just as amazing. From local classic favorites to creative chili entries like a Yankee white bean and seafood chili from Harbor Harvest in Norwalk and a green hatch chili from Geronimo in Fairfield. 

“Your taste buds will be dancing” says Keenan!


This people's choice competition determines who has the best classic chili, creative chili, classic mac and creative mac n' cheese! And everyone who attends will be  given a spoon, ballot and pencil when they arrive. That's right! YOU'LL BE THE JUDGE!

You'll rate each entry on a scale from 7 to 10.5 and the restaurants with the highest rating average in their category will be declared this year's champion. 


“I love how seriously everyone takes this event” said Keenan. “First, they grab a complimentary coffee or tea from the New England Coffee Company or Harney & Sons , then discuss their strategy about whether they start their day with chili or a mac n' cheese. They bring a muffin tin from home to carry their samples. Some break-up and head in different directions and meet in the middle to discuss who they think are the best and compare ballots.. They take their voting seriously as they know it determines who is declared the best”. Keenan says it's great fun and to come early, come hungry and bring your muffin tins! 


Joe's American Bar & Grill from Fairfield along with Pizza Planet from Norwalk recently joined the competition that now includes: Firehouse Grill in Monroe, Hub & Spoke in Blackrock Bridgeport, Little Pub from Wilton, Fairfield, Ridgefield and Greenwich, Prime 16 from Orange, The Blind Rhino from Norwalk, Cask Republic in SoNo, Stamford and New Have, Geronimo of Fairfield and New Haven, Harbor Harvest of Norwalk, Simply Delicious of Norwalk and Westport, Burger Bar & Bistro in Norwalk, Peaches Southern Pub & Juke Joint of Norwalk, Bobby Q 's Cue & Company of Norwalk, Killer B of SoNo and Old Post Tavern of Fairfield. 


Those who attend can add Hummel hot dog “bites” to either their chili or mac n' cheese samples grilled up by the DogTracks food truck. 

To cap all the sampling, attendees can enjoy sweet samples of Farmer's Cow ice cream and milk, or try amazing cookie dough form the CT Cookie Company and grab a sample of those famous NECCO wafers! 

The Great Mac & Chili Challenge 

11AM to 3PM on Sunday Nov. 5, 2017 
Sherwood Island State Park in Westport CT. 
$15 Adults at the door or online HERE
$5 Kids 6-12
Parking:  FREE

For additional information please visit the event website: www.MacAndChiliChallenge.com 

The Great Mac & Chili Challenge is sponsored by: The Farmer's Cow, New England Coffee Company, Hummel Brothers, Cabot Creamery, Connecticut Cookie Company, New England Confectionery Company, Acadia brand water, WEBE 108, Clover, Lowe's, Harney & Son Teas and City Carting & Recycling

MacChiliFest in Westport CT to Benefit the Turtle Fund

MacChiliFest comes to Westport Connecticut on Sunday February 7th!

You remember ChiliFest, right?  Well, this popular event now includes a mac 'n cheese competition! 

Yup! ChiliFest just got better!

“Pairing mac 'n cheese with our chili competition was a natural” said Jim Keenan, event director.  “People know this event as Chilifest but we wanted to tweak the name so people understand immediately we're more than just great chili this year”

MacChilifest will take place at Bedford Middle School in Westport CT on Sunday Feb. 7th from 11am to 3pm.  The event is promoted as a pre-Super Bowl event as the Super Bowl is held later in the day.  

“The big game doesn't kick off until close to 7pm” said Keenan.  “So instead of hanging around to go out or have friends come over, people come out in droves to judge the best chili and now mac 'n cheese in Fairfield County.  It's a tailgate atmosphere where most people come in their favorite team jersey.  Some even put on eye black.  Even the band from Sacred Heart University comes and pumps up the crowd in anticipation of the big game later that day.”

AND! THERE's MORE!!

MacChilfiFest will be filmed for Firehouse Kitchen, a popular television program centered around the incredible food creations of firefighters, will be filming a future episode at MacChilifest on February 7th.

Tickets are available online now at www.MacChilifest.org as well as at the door.  

Adult Tickets are $15 

Children Tickets (aged 6-12) are $5.  

Everyone is given a spoon, ballot and pencil, and then set off to enjoy unlimited sampling of 20 different kinds of chili's and mac 'n cheese entries from 18 restaurants as well as local fire departments. Their votes will determine the winner in the classic beef chili category, the creative chili category and the new mac 'n cheese category. 

“We've added some new heat to the chili competition with several new restaurants in the competition this year.  I'm equally excited about having a mac 'n cheese division as these entries are sophisticated.  Mac 'n cheese has become the trendy playground for chef's to showcase their culinary creativity”  Keenan said.  “It's definitely not the blue box mac we grew up with.  Kids of all ages will love this new addition to chilifest”.

The table is set for another strong competition with defending champions Geronimo (Fairfield & New Haven), Southport Brewing Co. (Fairfield & Milford) and the Westport Fire Dept all back to defend their category titles from last year.  Looking to dethrone them is Blind Rhino (Norwalk), Bobby Q's (Westport), Chef's Table (Fairfield), Chilibomb (Fairfield), Da Pietro's (Westport), DrewbaQ (food truck), Little Pub (Greenwich, Ridgefield and Wilton), Liquid Lunch (Milford and Shelton), Mac' It (Norwalk), Old Post Tavern (Fairfield), Sam's American Bistro (Stamford), Simply Delicious (Norwalk), Tru North Tavern & Table (Black Rock), Wire Mill Saloon & BBQ (Redding/Georgetown) and the Weston Fire Department.

MacChilifest benefits the Turtle Fund which seeks to promote the education of young people in art, music, theater, skilled craft and other creative pursuits in order to create a rich cultural heritage for tomorrow.

Chilifest is proudly sponsored by Stop & Shop, Volvo of Westport, The Greens of Canondale, Cabot Cheese, Chaboso Bakery, Tabasco and WEBE 108.  

For more information about Chilifest please visit www.MacChilifest.org  

Bedford Middle School  

88 North Ave, Westport, CT 06880