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Chowder, chili cookoff extends Alpena tourism season

ALPENA — The Alpena Downtown Development Authority’s annual Chowder and Chili Cookoff has become a fall event, which helps extend the tourism season in the area just a bit longer.

This year, it will be held on Oct. 6 and the DDA is already accepting entries. The event will be held on a portion of Second Avenue downtown, which will be closed.

Last year was the first year that chili was introduced to the chowder cookoff and DDA Executive Director Anne Gentry said it helped to boost the number of people competing. She said that, in 2016, there were 10 participants. Last year, it jumped to 15.

She said a larger pool of prize money will hopefully lure more people to take part and share their cooking talents with people in Alpena. Gentry said there will be a $1,000 prize for the best overall chili or chowder cooked by a professional cook and an additional $1,000 for the same by an amateur. There will also be $150 prizes for best chili and best chowder and $100 prizes for most creative recipe and most spirited booth.

“We hope this will get more people to participate and bring more people from outside of Alpena,” Gentry said. “The event is continuing to grow and I think this will help it grow even more.”

The City of Alpena has already given its approval to close Second Avenue for the event, which will also feature live music, as well as craft beer and wine. Gentry said local business owners are always looking for ways to keep foot traffic up during the fall and before the holiday season arrives. She said the chili and chowder cookoff helps to do that.

“Nothing says get into the fall mood like a hot cup of chowder or chili,” she said. “Our businesses want to keep pushing the tourism season further out and these types of things pull people here that don’t only go to the event, but also shop.”

The event will begin at noon and continue until 4 p.m. Tickets are $10 and available at the gate. A paid admission allows people to sample all of the entries.

People who want to submit a chili or chowder can get registration forms at alpenadda.com or from the DDA Facebook Page. Cost to enter is $25. For more information, contact the DDA office at 989-356-6422.

Steve Schulwitz can be reached at sschulwitz@thealpenanews.com or 989-358-5689. Follow Steve on Twitter @ss_alpenanews.

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