I am shedding a tear over here. I just learned that we may have seen our last West Chester Chili Cook-Off.

“Today we’re going public with our Rotary Club of West Chester’s decision to stop producing the West Chester Chili Cook-Off,” Rotary board member Jeff Cantwell shared in an email this morning. Attached to the email there was a release that read:

“The Rotary Club of West Chester will not be producing a 2024 Chili Cook-Off. After 21 years of bringing this popular, annual event to the Borough of West Chester, members of the Rotary Club of West Chester find it has outgrown our Club’s capacity to manage.”

“The event has grown larger each year, and has now necessitated employing a professional event planner,” the release continues. “Rotary, Club members and its many volunteer partners who have engaged in this activity have always operated by meeting the Object of Rotary: ‘Service Above Self.’”

Over the years, the community street fair has grown into a signature of the West Chester fall season drawing between 8,000 and 10,000 attendees to Gay Street each October and raising hundreds of thousands of dollars to the benefit of dozens of area nonprofits. So, while their time might be done, the Rotary really hopes this is not the end of West Chester’s chili adventures.

“We hope to find another party or parties to continue the event, but so far, our discussions have not identified someone willing to step up,” said Jeff. “Part of our motive for going public is the hope that some group will say: “aha!” and get in touch with us.”

So, if you are part of an organization that needs a signature event and is ready for a profitable challenge, send Jeff an email. The Rotarians are ready to support you in any way you need to keep this beloved West Chester tradition going.

As for what they will be doing next, that is still TBD – but from a group that has led Brian’s Run and the Chili Cook-Off, I am sure it will be amazing.

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Originally published on Mar. 15, 2024

This story was part of a longer West Chester newsletter featuring all the news and events of the week. Curious what else is going on? Subscribe now to get the full story. New issue comes out Friday.