The cooking teams kept everyone’s spirits up and bellies warm with exuberantly decorated stations and costumes
The Round Top community showed up in force to support the Round Top Family Library at its 19th annual Chili Cookoff fundraiser last weekend. About 500 attendees braved below freezing temperatures for a chance to bid on incredible list of auction items and sample steaming bowls of the official winter dish of Texas.
Round Top Family Library Executive Director Craig Moreau. (photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
Chili Cookoff chair and co-chair Emily Seimsglusz and Suzanne Ellis. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
Round Top Family Library director Kathy Young, Linda O’Neal, Rob Rosenbaum. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
Sally and Norman Reynolds. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
Paul and Brooke Michie of Round Top Brewing. (photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
Clemencia and Jordan Larimore of Tré for the Gathering. (photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
The popular local event, which usually takes place outdoors, was moved inside the historic Round Top Rifle Hall as a bitter cold front bore down on the area. The cooking teams kept everyone’s spirits up and bellies warm with exuberantly decorated stations and costumes. Some even offered free slices of king cake and shots of Fireball and tequila.
Beloved local cover band Black Cat Choir also played a string of hits while everyone sampled chili, browsed live auction items, explored the book sale and indulged in offerings from the sweets tables. Kids were treated to a host of free activities, including face painting, crafts and treats from Shea Edge of Oh Sweet! who spun multiple flavors of cotton candy like blueberry and tropical punch.
Braving the cold for a bowl at the Round Top Family Library Chili Cookoff. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
Patrick “Doc” Breen. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
Heather Kaspar of Buck Up Auctions. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
A gorgeous liquor basket donated by Round Top Liquor Shop and The Round Top Family Library Board of Directors auctioned off for $5,000. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
Angela Stutts, winner of blanket coat and dhurrie tote donated by Sapana. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
The Black Cat Choir not only performed, but donated a performance that sold out three times during the live auction. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
Shea Edge of Oh Sweet! doled out multiple flavors of cotton candy. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
Chili babies staying warm and well fed at the Round Top Family Library Chili Cookoff. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
Face painting fun at the Round Top Family Library Chili Cookoff. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
Auctioneer Heather Kaspar of Buck-Up Auctions lead the fierce bidding action during the live auction. The hottest items up for bids were stays in Sullivan, Maine and San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. A Black Cat Choir concert sold three times over, and a premium wine and spirits basket prepared by Round Top Liquor Shop received a top bid of $5,000. Caught up in the heat of the moment, Daniel and Erin Ciment placed a set of four club level Houston Astros tickets up for bid on the spot.
Other auction items included a coveted handmade blanket coat and dhurrie tote from Sapana, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo tickets, a gumbo dinner at Southern Beasts prepared by owners Mary Lou and Daniel Marks, a Yeti cooler filled with a year’s supply of Blue Bell ice cream, a Colonial-era table donated by Eduardo Lopez Furniture Design and a wine tasting class at Boon & Co. with aficionado Nate Pineda.
Awards for the cookoff took place following the auction amid rowdy applause. The Traditional Division first place winner went to the team dubbed Best Overall Chili with second place taken by Big Daddy Blue (Bluebonnet Abstract and Title). All Fired Up! The Warrenton Crew took third place in the Traditional Division.
Traditional Division first place winners: Best Overall Chili. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
The Country Properties Group, Martha Turner|Sotheby’s International Realty nabbed first place in the Open Division. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
Red Hot Hodde Peppers (Hodde Real Estate Co.) took second place in the Open Division. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
Team MasonJay – SWBC was awarded third place in the Open Division and received the highly coveted People’s Choice Best Chili award for their spicy Cuban style chili. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
The team with Bluebonnet Abstract and Title won second place in the Open Division. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
Joey and Ashley Jasek accept the award for third place in the Traditional Division. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
The Bybee Cookers team at the Round Top Family Library Chili Cookoff. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
The Chili Willies team. (Photo by Kolton King)
Team G.O.A.T. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
The team representing The Country Properties Group, Martha Turner|Sotheby’s International Realty nabbed first place in the Open Division and the Red Hot Hodde Peppers (from Hodde Real Estate Co.) took second in the same. Team MasonJay – SWBC was awarded third place in the Open Division and received the highly coveted People’s Choice Best Chili award for their spicy Cuban style chili. The Best Showmanship award went to Round Top Road Chili Company. In the High School Challenge, the junior class of Round Top-Carmine High School bested the senior class of 2024.
It was truly a day to remember and quite possibly the most successful cookoff the library has hosted to date. Weather no obstacle. Mark your planner for The Round Top Family Library’s next chili cookoff, set to be held in January 2025.
