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It's Chili Time in Terlingua

Writer: Polli Rayburn
Polli Rayburn
6 days ago
3 min read

Every November, this town of a few hundred people turns into one of the loudest, chili-soaked weekends in Texas. Trucks and RVs line Highway 170 for miles, smoke rolls off a hundred different pots of red, and bands play until the stars come out. Somewhere in the crowd, a judge is arguing that yours needs more cumin. November 4 through 7, 2026, it happens again, and if you've never been, you're about to understand why people plan their whole year around one weekend in the desert.


Bowl of chili

Two Cookoffs, One Wild Family Feud

Here's the part most first-timers don't know. There isn't one Terlingua Chili Cookoff. There are two, and they've been rivals since 1983.

The story starts in 1982, when the cookoff's founder, Frank X. Tolbert, let two European cooks compete against Texans who'd spent years and real money qualifying for a shot at the title. The established cooks weren't having it, and by 1983 they'd split off and started their own event. The rivalry got serious enough that by 1988 both sides were in federal court fighting over who got to use the name "Chili Appreciation Society International." Judge Lucius Bunton ruled for the cooks' group, CASI, but wouldn't call either one the official championship. His closing line still gets quoted around here: "This has not been an easy case for the court, but... better chili today than hot tamale."

Today both cookoffs still run the same weekend, practically across the road from each other. The Original Terlingua International Championship Chili Cook-off, the Tolbert-backed event, keeps the funkier, Western, "Behind the Store" spirit alive. CASI's Terlingua Championship Cookoff has grown into the bigger production, with eight food competitions, three nights of live bands, and two nights of karaoke over its own four days. You could spend the whole weekend walking between the two and still not see it all.


What Each One Actually Offers

The Original runs November 4 through 7, 2026, at 22970 FM 170, with tickets at $80 for all four days. That covers chili tasting, live music, the vendor area, a commemorative program, parking, and first-come camping right on site.

CASI's event runs a day longer, November 3 through 7, 2026, at Rancho CASI de los Chisos on Highway 170. It's dry camping with no hookups, and the ticket gets you into all eight food competitions plus the music and karaoke lineup.

Either one gets you the real thing: pots of red simmering since sunrise, strangers handing you a spoon and daring you to guess the secret ingredient, and a Big Bend sky doing its best work overhead once the sun goes down.


Contestant winning an award for chili

Where to Land When the Noise Dies Down

Cookoff weekend is loud on purpose, and that's half the fun of it. But at some point you'll want a quiet fire pit, a real bed, and a sky full of stars that isn't competing with stage lights. We're three miles from the park gate, close enough to walk into the noise and far enough to walk back out of it, home base for the whole weekend.

Rooms and campsites near Terlingua go fast every single year during Cookoff week, without fail. If you're coming for the chili, lock your dates now.

We'll see you out here. Bring your appetite.

Link in bio to book direct.


FAQ

When is the 2026 Terlingua Chili Cookoff?

Both events run the same general window. The Original Terlingua International Championship Chili Cook-off runs November 4-7, 2026. CASI's Terlingua Championship Cookoff runs November 3-7, 2026.

Why are there two Terlingua chili cookoffs?

A dispute over foreign competitors in 1982 split the original event. By 1983 there were two rival cookoffs, and a 1988 federal lawsuit over the CASI name made the split official rather than healing it. Both still run the same weekend today.

How much are tickets?

The Original charges $80 per person for all four days, covering tasting, music, vendors, and camping. CASI's pricing is available through their own ticket page and typically covers all eight food competitions plus music.

How far is Paisano Azul Ranch from the cookoff grounds?

About three miles from the Big Bend park gate, an easy drive to either cookoff site on Highway 170. The Tolbert's Chili Cook off is about 10 minutes and the CASI cookoff is about 20 minutes from the ranch.

Should I book ahead for Cookoff weekend?

Yes. This is the single busiest lodging weekend of the year in the area. Book as early as your dates are firm.

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