Fast forward to mid-November.  You’re sitting at your cubicle, desk or recliner, shivering from inadequate heat and craving a hot bowl of chili.  The firm outside and soft inside of the red beans, the sizzling hunks of meat and the spicy sauce—what a wonderful way to warm the body up.  You could go to Wendy’s, sure, but why not try a local establishment?  (By the way, think you’re not very photogenic?  Try being chili.)

To properly prepare for your fall chili extravaganza, visit the Buffalo Chili Fest between 1 p.m. and 5 Sunday at the Statler (see this gallery for recent renovations).  Admission is $5 at the door, tickets for chili samples run for $1 apiece, and there will be special ticket packages available for families (and hopefully big eaters like myself).

Afraid that you’re going to miss the Bills’ demolition of Eli and the New York Giants?  Don’t worry—there’ll be a massive video screen showing the game, so you can nosh on different varieties of chili while watching Naaman Roosevelt catch his first NFL touchdown. 

Several new vendors are entering the challenge this year, trying to dethrone last November’s champion The Riverstone Grill from Grand Island.  Potter’s Field, the South Buffalo Irish pub, finished second, while Original Soup Man from Amherst earned the bronze.  While Soho Burger Bar and Brodo toss their hats into the ring, two food trucks—The Roaming Buffalo and RnR BBQ Food Truck are two mobile vendors in the mix as well.  The full list of participants is below:

—Bada Bing Sports Bar and Grill of Buffalo
—Brodo of Amherst
—Buffalo Chophouse of Buffalo
—Darcy McGee’s of Buffalo
—Laughlin’s of Buffalo
—Soho Burger and Bar of Buffalo
—The Riverstone Grill of Grand Island
—Bing’s Restaurant and Catering of Amherst
—Irishman Pub and Eatery of Williamsville
—The Roaming Buffalo of Buffalo
—Potters Field Restaurant and Pub of Buffalo
—R&R BBQ Food Truck of Buffalo
—Sal’s Famous Pizzeria of Tonawanda
—Shadow Lounge and Restaurant of Buffalo
—Statler City of Buffalo

The event benefits People Inc., an organization that “exists so that individuals with disabling conditions or other special needs have the supports they need to participate and succeed in an accepting society.”