Local firefighters will battle over pots of chili when the C3OHIO Firefighter Chili Cook-Off returns to Liberty Center on Sunday, October 4, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The competition takes place in the parking lot next to the Taylor Garage, with fire departments from Liberty Township and West Chester Township serving their best recipes and letting the public vote for a favorite. Liberty Township announced the event on Monday.
C3OHIO, a local nonprofit connecting businesses, faith groups, and cultural organizations across the community, hosts the annual cook-off.
Spot-A-Truck runs the same day
The cook-off runs alongside Liberty Township's Spot-A-Truck event, which brings dump trucks, snow plows, emergency vehicles, and school buses to the same lot for kids and families to explore up close. Both events run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
What's different this year
The 2026 event runs an hour longer than last year's edition, which went from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. based on West Chester Township's promotion of the 2025 cook-off on its official X account in September 2025.
In 2025, fire departments from Liberty Township, West Chester Township, Deerfield Township in Warren County, Fairfield Township, and the City of Monroe all competed. The specific departments participating in 2026 have not yet been announced.
How to attend
- When: Sunday, October 4, 2026, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Where: Parking lot next to the Taylor Garage, Liberty Center
- Cost: Not yet confirmed for 2026; sampling was free in 2025
- Registration: Not required in prior years; watch for updates
Upcoming community events
- Sunday, October 4: C3OHIO Firefighter Chili Cook-Off, Liberty Center, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.
- Sunday, October 4: Spot-A-Truck, Liberty Center, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.
