WMSE’s 23rd Annual Rockabilly Chili Fundraiser Review

WMSE held their 23^rd annual Rockabilly Chili Fundraiser at the Kern center Sunday morning.  

The event drew in over 4000 patrons and they were eager to get in, lining up long before the event began. The Fundraiser was able to raise over $74,000 for WMSE. While the event was a fundraiser for WMSE, it was also a chili competition. Those in attendance voted for their favorite chili in five categories; Best Heat, Best Meat, Best Vegetarian, Most Unique and the Best Display.  

• The winner of the Best Heat category was Blue’s Egg & Bakery, with Ruta’s Fresh Indian Fare and Belle Star BBQ being the runners up. 

•  Kettle Range Meat Company won for best meat-based chili, with Red Maple MKE and Blue’s Egg & Bakery being the runners up 

• The vegetarian chili winner was previous champion Ruta’s Fresh Indian Fare, who won Best Heat and Most Unique last year. The runners up this year were Twisted Plants and Plant Joy, LLC.  

• Hue Asian Kitchen won most unique chili this year with Ruta’s Fresh Indian Fare and Beans and Barley being the runners up. 

• The 2024 Best Meat winner, Red Maple MKE, took home the trophy for best display, with Beans & Barley and Bakehouse 23 as the runners up.  

Attendees were given five tickets at the door, and additional tickets could be bought for a dollar, or traded for canned goods with Hunger Task Force. Cups of chili were one ticket, non-alcoholic drinks were three, and beer was six tickets.  

Among our personal favorites were Hometown Grub & Pub, Story Hill BBQ and Semolina. Story Hill was quite possibly the best food we had, although calling what was a cup of pulled pork, “chili” was a stretch. Hometown Grub & Pub was our favorite traditional chili, being delightfully chunky and topped with green onions to bring it all together.   

Our favorite displays were Bakehouse 23, Nessun Dorma, The Social American Tavern and Beans & Barley. The Social American Tavern staff were all dress in matching Guy Fieri outfits to humorous effect. Nessun Dorma had a knight in armor at the beginning of the event who had to shed his armor due to the heat, leaving his sword behind. Beans & Barley had a bizarre display, repurposing and repainting last year’s display blue and wearing blue morph suits, imitating the Blue Man Group. Lastly, Bakehouse 23 had a Fallout inspired display, complete with vault door, vault dweller outfits and themed signs.