The Costa Rica News (TCRN) – The annual Atenas Chili Fiesta to benefit Hogar De Vida children’s home will take place on Sunday, February 8th at the famous Sabana Larga Bullring and Event Center just 2 kilometers west of Atenas.
The money that is raised from donations and the chili cook off will go to help Hogar de Vida provide a safe
temporary “home” for up to 35 children ages birth to 10 years old that may have suffered from extreme poverty, abuse and abandonment. Hogar de Vida offers a stable environment, good nutrition, clothing, education and best of all…lots of love.
It has been eight years ago since the first edition of the Atenas Charity Chili Cook Off was held in Kay’s Gringo Postres restaurant. Kay Costello and her husband Tom owned the business at that time. During a casual conversation Tom, bet his friend he could prepare a superior bowl of chili which is a very popular type of stew in the United States which spurs many debates over who can cook the best chili. The first contest brought several other friends to compete in a simple little event at Kay and Tom’s restaurant. They decided to donate the proceeds to a local children’s facility called Hogar de Vida, setting a precedent that has survived through the years. Eight years ago the first Chili Contest they raised $300.
The all-day Costa Rica event begins at 11:00 AM and is packed with activities. Come and sample all the delicious chilis entered into the Chili Contest. After the contest you can enjoy a free show by The Sugarland Brass Company. Outside in the Beer Garden you can listen to more great music all day long and enjoy a variety of delicious food from our food vendors; BBQ, Hamburgers, Pizza, Chili, Chocolate, Ice Cream and much more. We will also have plenty of Arts and Crafts vendors and a special area with games and prizes for the kids. In the Sabana Larga Bull Ring you can sit back and enjoy a horse show followed by a demonstration by the UTN Lasso team. From 3:00 to 5:00 you can play BINGO and win some great prizes.
This year the Atenas Chili Fiesta has added a special evening concert featuring Costa Rica’s very own Latin Grammy Nominee: Tamela Hedstrom. Her concert will start at 7:00 p.m. Advance tickets are on sale at Jalapenos Restaurant in Alajuela and at Kay’s Gringo Postres, Su Espacio, and Optica Central Visual in Atenas. VIP tickets for a reserved seat at a table on the floor in front of the stage are 10,000 colones per person. General admission tickets are only 8,000 colones per person. General admission tickets on the day of the event are 10,000 colones each.
Last year the event was able to give over $30,000 for the kids at Hogar de Vida and they’re hoping for an even better turnout this year.
The Costa Rica News (TCRN)
San Jose, Costa Rica