Chili cooks brought the heat to the Denham Springs Antique District on Saturday for the third annual Hot & Spicy Chili Cookoff.
The Oct. 10 community event featured live entertainment, plenty of pets, and vendor booths along Mattie Street.
Visitors browsed booths offering resin goods and sculptures, speed-drawn pet portraits by professional artist Samantha “Manpher” Smith, and permanent jewelry.
Fresh-squeezed lemonade and cotton candy offered relief from the warm temperatures and spicy chili, much to the delight of the children in attendance.
For $10, adults received a pass for unlimited chili tastings and a ticket to cast a vote for their favorite entry.
Several individuals and businesses competed in the cookoff, including local brewery Le Chien, Wilder Blue Ranch, Denham Springs mayoral candidate John Cavalier, and JR Cajun Cooking.
Each competitor brought a different recipe to the table, but only one could claim the cookoff’s top prize.
After judging, James Mallard took first place, JR Cajun Cooking finished second, and Trey Miller’s company, MIG, placed third.
After sampling the chili and casting their votes, attendees could also browse the weekly Four Seasons Farmers Market, which remained open until noon. Vendors offered beaded pens, plants, preserves, hair oils, tinctures, and artwork by The Carport Studio.
