Ned over in Music got first dibs on sharing the Chili Jamboree video with you yesterday, but I don't need a fancy, slick clip to persuade you that we've got an all-out America Ruckus on our hands. (I can't say this enough: THIS WILL SELL OUT. Tickets here.)

10 CHEFS - 100 GALLONS OF CHILI - COLD BEER - BOURBON - PIE - LIVE MUSIC

A person actually wins this real thing.
  • A person actually wins this real thing.

There's a full day of live country music, of course, but the most exciting part of this whole top shelf shenanigan is, to me, the incredible roster of chefs we got to dream up their own specially made chili recipes and compete for the custom-designed belt buckle and VIP trip to the Jack Daniel's compound in Tennessee:

Jonathan Berube, Radar
Jason French, Ned Ludd
Alton Garcia, Broder
Rick Gencarelli, Lardo
Tynan Gibson & Charlie Phillip, Tasty & Sons
Gregory Gourdet, Departure
Rodney Muirhead, Podnah's Pit
BJ Smith, Smokehouse 21
Johanna Ware, Smallwares
Justin Woodward, Castagna

That's a whole lot of different angles on chili. Look for the descriptions of what they'll be making in this week's paper, and be sure to buy your tickets now, because early buzz on the social mediums makes it clear this thing's getting as much attention as Burger Week.

Ten contestants, three-ounce samples of each...that's nearly a quart per guest. If you can stand it, your ticket also gets you pie from Mary Casaneve of The Honey Pot Bakery!

Chili Jamboree 2013 is brought to you by the Portland Mercury, Mississippi Studios, Jack Daniel's, Pabst Blue Ribbon, and Nicky USA.