The 5th Annual Al Hopkins Tolbert Texas State Chili Championship will be held on March 18-19, 2011. The Lockhart Chamber of Commerce and the City of Lockhart will host this annual event again this year in the Lockhart City Park. The Central Texas Tolbert Chili Group sponsors more than 30 chili events all over Central Texas and Lockhart is blessed to be just one of those locations.

Prizes for the championship in Lockhart are awards winners in Chili, Brisket, Ribs, Beans, Showmanship and Bloody Mary’s categories. The top 3 Chili winners qualify to cook “Behind the Store” in the International Terlingua Cook-off in Terlingua, Texas. Activities held at the championship starting on Friday evening with a party with food and FREE entertainment at 6pm and a live band from 8pm to midnight.

On Saturday the fun continues with registration from 8am-10am followed by a cook’s meeting at 10:30am. After the awards presentation there is another party with more entertainment, a Silent Auction and 50/50 cash drawings. Everyone is welcomed at this annual Lockhart event and judges are always needed!

The Central Texas Tolbert Chili Group sole purpose is to promote the Official State Dish of Texas: Chili. Why do they do it? To support a long and varied list of charitable causes such as Phone Cards for Troops, the VFW Scholarship Fund, Special Olympics, and Komen for the Cure to just name a few.

For additional information, check out www.centraltexaschili.com, call Dwight Hamilton 512-507-4948 or the Lockhart Chamber of Commerce at 512-398-2818. To download an application for the Al Hopkins Tolbert Texas State Chili Championship click here. To download an application for the People’s Choice Chili Entry, click here. To print a flyer with more information, click here.