Lititz has a reliable way of getting through the coldest stretch of the year: it gathers around ice sculptures by day and bowls of chili by lunchtime. In early December 2014, organizers of the Lititz Fire and Ice Festival announced that buttons for the event’s chili cook-off would go on sale on Saturday, December 6, giving residents more than two months to plan their tasting strategy.
A milestone year for the festival
The 2015 edition marked the 10th anniversary of the Fire and Ice Festival, which pairs carved ice displays around town with a chili competition that has become one of the most popular winter gatherings in northern Lancaster County. The cook-off format is simple. About 25 chili cooks each bring a distinct recipe, and each one competes on behalf of a charity of their choice. Visitors taste their way through the room and vote, and the recipe that wins the most support takes home the “People’s Choice” trophy.
That charity link is part of what keeps people coming back. A vote for a favorite bowl is also a nod to a local cause, and the cooks tend to take both the recipe and the bragging rights seriously.
Date, time and place
The cook-off was scheduled for Saturday, February 14, 2015, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Warwick High School cafeteria. Falling on Valentine’s Day, the event offered couples and families an inexpensive outing during a season when many Lititz businesses see slower foot traffic.
Buttons serve as admission to the tasting. They were priced at $8 in advance and $10 at the door, so buying early saved a couple of dollars per person and helped organizers estimate turnout.
Where buttons were sold
Organizers listed three Lititz locations for advance sales:
- Bomberger’s, 555 Furnace Hills Pike
- Stauffers of Kissel Hill in Lititz, where members of the Lititz Leo Club sold buttons on Saturday, December 6 only, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Pork & Wally’s, 56 North Broad Street
The Leo Club, the youth arm of the Lions Club service network, has been closely tied to the festival’s chili event, and its members handled much of the early button selling. Because advance supplies were limited, organizers encouraged people to “bundle up and head out” early rather than wait for the door price.
Sponsors and vendors
At the time of the announcement, a handful of sponsorship and vendor opportunities remained open for businesses that wanted to be part of the anniversary year. Organizers asked interested businesses to contact the Lititz Leo Club by email, and they pointed residents to the festival’s website and Facebook page for schedules and updates.
Why it matters to Lititz
Winter events like Fire and Ice fill a practical role in a small town whose downtown thrives on visitors. Ice sculptures draw people onto Main and Broad streets during a quiet month, and the chili cook-off turns that foot traffic into support for nonprofits. For many families, it also simply provides a reason to get out of the house in the middle of February.
If you plan to attend a future cook-off
The basics from the 2015 event remain a good guide for anyone planning ahead:
- Buy buttons in advance when they are offered; they are cheaper and can sell out.
- Arrive early in the window, since popular recipes can run low by mid-afternoon.
- Bring cash for extras and dress for the cold if you plan to tour the ice displays afterward.
- Check the festival’s official channels for the current year’s date, location and button outlets, which can change from year to year.
Details in this article reflect the organizers’ announcement for the 2015 festival. Readers planning to attend a current festival should confirm times, prices and locations directly with the organizers.