Winter Blast in Bay View

Hundreds of people descended on the South Shore Park Pavilion Sunday, Feb. 21 to partake in the Winter Blast, an afternoon of family-friendly entertainment, music, social intercourse-and chili.

The Bay View Neighborhood Association (BVNA) put on the eighth annual event, inviting a taster from Wisconsin Foodie to officially judge whose recipe earned bragging rights as “Bay View’s best chili.”

Kyle Cherek of Wisconsin Foodie dubbed On the Right Track Roadhouse Cafe’s chili the best in the business category. Lori Sieckert and Aimee Gironimi’s chili won top individual honors. It was Honeypie’s chili, however, that garnered the most audience votes.

While the Daley Debutantes twirled batons in the basement, Danny Crivello, Milwaukee’s “Golden Idol,” and later the Garlic Mustard Pickers Celtic folk group provided a sonic backdrop for eaters running the chili gauntlet.

Businesses providing chili included Bay View United Methodist Church, Cool Water, Hector’s, Honeypie, Horny Goat Hideaway, Lela, Lulu, On the Right Track Roadhouse Cafe, Outpost Natural Foods, St. Ann Center for Intergenerational Care, Tenuta’s, and Transfer Pizzeria.

Schools, churches, politicians, organizations, and even the library maintained tables in the pavilion hall, while kids played ring toss and rubber ball bowling downstairs.

Ron Bird of Bay View Area Redcats presented a plaque to Patty Pritchard Thompson of BVNA for BVNA’s sponsorship of a youth football team. “This young lady used to be a cheerleader,” Bird quipped, referring to Thompson, who, in her pink BVNA T-shirt, recalled a few cheer moves for the crowd.

Enough food was donated to completely fill one Neighbors Helping Neighbors barrel at the door. The food will go to local food pantries.