EAST TEXAS OILMEN'S CHILI COOK-OFF

The theme of the 33rd Annual East Texas Oilmen's Chili Cook-Off is Give me Liberty, or Give me Chili celebrating America's 250th anniversary! The public event will be Thursday, October 22, 2026, at the World's Richest Acre in Downtown Kilgore. Always a crowd favorite, the cook-off is an important fundraiser for East Texas Treatment Center and several other local non-profits. Thank you to the East Texas Oilmen's Association Chili Committee for their tireless efforts to make the event fun and profitable. Follow on Facebook for updates! Please contact marketing@ettctx.org for more information. Team Registration Packets and Sponsor Forms are now available for download.

O&G Chili Cook Team Registration Packet

Sponsor Form

East Texas Oilmen's Chili Cook-Off: Service

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs):

We do not have vendor spots.
We do not have live music at the cook-off.
If you are interested in competing in the cook-off AND you are with an oil & gas company, you can download a registration packet by clicking the button above. If you are seeing this during the offseason, please e-mail marketing@ettctx.org and ask to be added to the registration packet e-mail distribution list. Packets are typically sent out by July 15th for the October event. NOTE: All new teams must be reviewed and approved by the East Texas Oilmen’s Chili Cook-Off Committee to ensure we are keeping to our oil & gas roots. The cook-off has sold out the past several years. Please register as soon as possible.
If your company is interested in sponsoring the cook-off, you can download a Sponsor Form by clicking the button above. If you are seeing this during the offseason, please e-mail marketing@ettctx.org and ask to be added to the chili sponsor form e-mail distribution list. Forms are typically sent out by July 15th for the October event.
The chili cook-off is a public event on Thursday during the day. Gates are open 10:30 AM to 1PM. You can buy those wristbands AT THE GATE for $10 cash. For that price, you can taste all the chili you want and vote for your favorite(s). NOTE: Awards usually start around 1PM, and teams will be gathered in the parking lot by the KISD administration building for announcements by then. Come early to taste chili!
Wednesday night is a private party for the participating oil & gas companies to bring their employees, customers, family, etc. Only they can buy those wristbands. Maybe you have an O&G contact that can get you one! No wristbands are sold at the gates Wednesday night. Anyone attending Wednesday MUST be 21 & up. This policy includes babies and small children.
If you’d like to purchase the official t shirt or apron with this year’s theme on it or a ball cap with the generic oil derrick & chili pepper logo for the cook-off, they will be on sale Thursday at the public event. Participating teams and sponsors may pre-order items as they sign up.
Chili Judges are a mix of people from the community, city/county government, O&G industry, the East Texas Treatment Center board, etc. We are currently full with a full wait list as well.