Havelock Chili Festival

HAVELOCK CHILI FESTIVAL’S 43rd YEAR OF CHILI & COMMUNITY SET FOR OCTOBER 18th

HAVELOCK, NC – Chili, music, vendors, & family fun – the The Havelock Chili Festival Committee is bringing all that and more to this year’s Havelock Chili Festival sponsored by Light ‘em Up on Saturday, Oct 18th, including the NC State Chili Cook-off, ChiliFest Beer Garden and ChiliFestCar Show.

The 43rd Annual Havelock Chili Festival sponsored by Light ‘em Up, a 1-day event featuring music, food, shopping and fun, is back on its traditional 3rd Saturday in October on Saturday from 10am to 6pm rain or shine at Walter B. Jones Park in the center of Havelock. Chili Sampling and the Shortway Chilifest Beer Garden both open at noon.
Some of the best chili cooks in the area will be competing in the Traditional Red category, including last year’s winner, Jeff Richardson. Local chili cooks and organizations are also competing for the $500 People’s Choice prize. Festival patrons will purchase $10 wristbands for unlimited chili sampling and use the wristband to vote for their favorite. Voting hours are noon to 4pm with winners announced at 5pm. Sampling continues until chili runs out.

The Beer Garden, sponsored by Shortway Brewing Co. of Newport, is back for a third year and will be serving 4 locally-brewed beers from noon to 5:30pm. The 3rd Annual Chilifest Car Show is adding to the fun with a variety of vehicles for car enthusiasts. Awards are scheduled for 3pm.
Added attractions include children’s games, a pumpkin patch, the Jump N Thump inflatables area, Firemen’s Agility Course and over 85 vendors, talented artisans and nonprofit organizations selling food, drinks, crafts, and merchandise, plus raising awareness about their various causes and missions.

Havelock teacher Anna Whitlock kicks off festivities at 10am singing the National Anthem. Tanner Jones is first up on the live music line-up at 10:30am, playing an acoustic mix of rock and country hits from the 90’s, 2000’s and today. Starting at noon, Joe Baes Project will have people singing along to a mix of Country, Blues, & Rock with their Classic Rock style, and 4-piece cover band The Salty Bones rounds out the entertainment at 3:15pm, specializing in 70’s and 80’s music to keep the party rolling until Chili winner announcements at 5pm.

In addition to music, food, and shopping, the Havelock Chili Festival will host at least four K9 dogs and their handlers from the Craven County Sheriff’s Department and an electronic detection dog from NCIS doing demonstrations throughout the day. And Outer Banks Wildlife Shelter will have a couple of owls on hand, as well.
Come hungry! Havelock Chili Festival visitors can choose from a wide variety of foods including lobster rolls, Filipino foods, Tex-Mex chili Nachos, BBQ, ribs, conch salad, sausage, fish, shrimp, Chili dogs, smash burgers, plus treats like Funnel Cakes, Fried Oreos & more, kettle corn, pork skins, Italian ice, ice cream, shaved ice, cotton candy, baked desserts, fresh squeezed lemonade, Boba tea, and of course, chili! There will be no ATMs on site but credit cards can be used to buy chili wristbands, beer and HCF souvenirs. Limited cash back will be available at the Wristband tent.

The Havelock Chili Festival was created as a means for nonprofit organizations to raise funds and awareness for their causes and to support local organizations through grants. In the last 2 years, the all-volunteer HCF Committee has had the pleasure of awarding over $40,000 in 2023 and 2024 combined, including $20,000 in 2024, to 17 local community nonprofits, school groups and 7 Havelock seniors in the form of scholarships.
The community event is planned and executed entirely by a very small group of volunteers on the Havelock Chili Festival Committee with the help of volunteer manpower from local nonprofits and school groups. Generous community sponsors, such as Navy Federal Credit Union, Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage, and Havelock-Cherry Point Rotary, in addition to support from The City of Havelock Public Services, are also invaluable to ensuring the success of the Havelock Chili Festival every year.
For more information, visit www.chilifestival.org<http://www.chilifestival.org/> or Facebook: Havelock Chili Festival