Community Corner
Opportunity Knocks 6th Annual Chili Cook-Off
It’s January. It’s cold and snowing and the NFL playoffs are upon us. That means one thing at Opportunity Knocks, the Chili Cook Off is getting set to heat it up on the Westside. This year’s cook off will be at Molly Malone’s on Sunday, January 12th for this the 6th annual event. With 25 chili cooks registered and three of the area’s most prolific chefs ready to judge the contest, this year’s OK Chili Cook Off will feature much of the tried and true event offerings and some things featured anew.
THE NEW VENUE – After spending two great years at Healy’s Westside, OK outgrew the old venue and is moving to new digs this year at Molly Malone’s Irish Pub. Event attendees will have access to the 2nd floor, 1st floor, snug, patio and an additional heated party tent connected to the patio.
THE CHILLY DASH – This year’s Chili Cook Off will be preceded by the launch of the Inaugural Chilly Dash (follow this link for more), which begins at 10:00am on Sunday morning. It’s OK’s first ever running event, starting at Madison & Gale, winding through the streets of Oak Park, River Forest and Forest Park and finishing at Molly Malones. More than 20 brave souls will run a distance based on the amount of fundraising efforts they achieve. The more donations collected, the more miles they must run, up to 10K.
Find out what's happening in Oak Park-River Forestwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
DONUT EATING CONTEST – This year’s event will feature a competitive eating contest, as we set the table for challengers to take the inaugural crown in the doughnut eating contest. Eating against the clock and for quantity against the other competitors, challengers will eat as many donuts as possible to take the title. OK will also host a wagering table for guests to bet on the winners.
CHILI CHEFS – For a nominal registration fee, chili chefs get a chance to win some great prizes, but more importantly, raise OK's Chili Cup and be forever enshrined as a chili champ! The contest was limited to 25 entrants and registration is now closed.
Find out what's happening in Oak Park-River Forestwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
THE RAFFLE – The raffle prizes have gotten bigger and better! Purchasing a $10 raffle ticket gets you a chance to win a 5-night stay in Cozumel, Mexico, an Apple iPad Mini or a pair of Blackhawks Tickets to the March 25th Chicago vs Dallas Stars game.
EVENT ADMISSION – The event has a $25 suggested donation that guarantees a
sampling of the area’s finest chili, complimentary appetizers and dessert, drink specials, a chance to win great prizes and a donation to Opportunity Knocks. Kids under 10 enter and eat free.
FOOTBALL & ACTION – The first NFL divisional playoff game will begin at noon. We will be selling squares and strip cards for both games. Winners will receive cash, with a portion of proceeds going to support OK.
The event begins at 12:00pm. Chili judging will conclude at 12:45pm, at which time the chili will be open for event attendees to consume. Event tickets, raffle tickets and all other information are available on line at:
www.opportunityknocksnow.org/special-events/the-ok-chili-cook-off/
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The cook-off is Opportunity Knock's first charity event of 2014 to benefit the Warriors at OK, a non-profit organization serving individuals with developmental disabilities in the Oak Park, River Forest and Forest Park communities. The event is proudly sponsored by Weichert Realtors Nickel Group and Molly Malone’s Irish Pub. OK is nearly 97% privately funded, with a majority portion coming from event fundraising. With a newly launched day program, the Life Shop, in full swing and a thriving after-work, after-school program, the need for support has never been greater. Please join us for some good fun while we support a great cause.
For more information or to purchase event entry or raffle tickets, please visit: www.opportunityknocksnow.org/special-events/the-ok-chili-cook-off/
