The Original Terlingua International Championship Chili Cookoff turns 50 Since 1967 chili heads of all stripes have been congregating in West Texas

The Original Terlingua International Championship Chili Cookoff turns 50 This weekend is the 50th annual Original Terlingua International Championship Chili Cookoff in Terlingua, Texas, one of the most popular cook-offs of its kind in the world. Since 1967 it's been attracting chili heads from far and wide to take in the scenery and eat and enjoy variations on our official state dish. These historic photos -- some humorous, some hilarious -- show off the freewheeling attitude of the event in its early years... less The Original Terlingua International Championship Chili Cookoff turns 50 This weekend is the 50th annual Original Terlingua International Championship Chili Cookoff in Terlingua, Texas, one of the most popular ... more Photo: Compiled By Lee McCullough Photo: Compiled By Lee McCullough Image 1 of / 126 Caption Close The Original Terlingua International Championship Chili Cookoff turns 50 1 / 126 Back to Gallery

This weekend is the 50th annual Original Terlingua International Championship Chili Cookoff in Terlingua, Texas, one of the most popular cook-offs of its kind in the world.

Since 1967 the event has been a Lone Star staple, attracting chili heads from far and wide to take in the West Texas scenery and eat and enjoy variations on Texas' official state dish.

The event is actually two cook-offs combined, The Original Terlingua International Frank X. Tolbert – Wick Fowler Championship Chili Cookoff and the slightly-larger CASI Terlingua International Chili Championship.

Terlingua is located is located in far West Texas between Big Band National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park, or just a quick 10 hour drive from Houston.

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The whole thing kicked off in October 1967 when Texas historian and chili head Wick Fowler teamed with car magnate Carroll Shelby – the Mustang fame - to settle a disagreement between two Texas journalists, the Dallas Morning News’ Frank X. Tolbert and H. Allen Smith from Holiday Magazine.

Mr. Smith had written a piece titled “Nobody Knows More About Chili Than I Do” and Mr. Tolbert disagreed, having written extensively about the dish since the early ‘50s.

A detailed history of the whole affair can be found on the International Chili Society’s website.

Any of the thousands of people who attend shouldn’t be leaving hungry or unhappy. The population of Terlingua balloons from a few dozens to a teeming mass of chili-hungry fiends.

Those competing are subject to a long list of rules to abide by.

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Looking at early photos of the annual event's first decade or so, it's clear that the event attracted a motley crew of hippies, straights, cowboys, bikers and everything in between. Most men looked like Jerry Jeff Walker, if they weren’t actually Jerry Jeff himself.

In 2016 it still attracts a lively crowd of people who enjoy live music, barbecue, a margarita mix-off and fellowship.