The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department hosted its 10th annual Fun in the Sun Chili Cook Off on Saturday at the Jack Bones Equestrian Center in Castaic to raise money for Special Olympics.

The cookoff featured 23 different chillis, 21 of them from different sheriff’s units, one from the District Attorney’s office and also one from Special Olympics.

Attendees purchased stamp cards that allowed attendees to try either all of the chilis or six of the chilis.

Each attendee was also given three tickets, which allowed them to vote for whichever booth had the best chili, in their opinion.

This year, each chili entry with the Cook Off built booths with unique themes in order to attract event goers to their chilis, said Sheriff Sgt. Gerri McCorkle.

“It’s called Chili Alley, and each (sheriff) unit has the opportunity to create and have a theme,” McCorkle said. “For example, you have North Facility which is Walking Dead, you have Medical Health which is Looney Tunes. Each unit decided do something different. There’s a lot of western themes. South Facility has this awesome (Rattler’s) saloon that they built. It’s a lot of fun.”

The event was much more than just chili, it featured many attractions from a shooting gallery with airsoft weapons, a rock climbing wall, two different live bands and even a petting zoo and pony rides.

Event goers also had the opportunity to browse the many vendors that lined the street of the Cook Off. The vendors ranged from Sam’s Club, to local business and craftsmen from Santa Clarita, McCorkle said.

All proceeds go directly to the Special Olympics in Santa Clarita. More than $100,000 has been raised for the Special Olympics throughout all of the cookoff events, McCorkle said.

Special Olympics Southern California enriches the lives of more than 19,625 athletes with intellectual disabilities and their communities in Southern California through sports, education, and athlete health.

| Skylar Barti