The 2019 Community Chill Night is DIY Lowell’s third annual chili cook-off event! This annual fundraiser brings together the community to celebrate the projects and events that have activated our underused spaces, brought diverse populations together, and made Lowell better.

The event is Friday, March 1, 6:30 – 9:00 pm at St. Anne’s Church Edson Hall (8 Kirk Street).

Chili Contest

11 chilis and spicy stews are competing, and YOU get to decide who wins!

Building Lowell

Participate in a collaborative art activity for both young and old, and decorate and color paper cut-outs of Lowell landmarks. These will be glued to a board overlapping one another, creating a fantastic Lowell skyline to be displayed at community events.

Community Transformation Award

The Lowell Coalition for Refugee and Immigrant Support and Engagement (RISE) will receive the annual Community Transformation Award to honor the creation of Welcoming Week Lowell. The Community Transformation Award is given to a group or individual that re-imagined or improved public space. Welcoming Week included artwork hung on the Merrimack Street Enterprise Bank fence, a Flag Parade, a South Common potluck picnic, an Immigrant History Walk, and several other events. RISE was nominated because the Welcoming Week event series is all about promoting inclusivity and integration among long standing community members and newer immigrant groups for a strong, vibrant, equitable and sustainable community.

We will present the award at 7:30 pm, along with a presentation about the runners-up, who have all made our public spaces more vibrant and inclusive:

The Kindred Project

Lowell CanalWater Cleaners

Humanity Boutique

Mary Hart

MJ Bujold

Made in Lowell

BRM Productions

Musical Performance

We’re proud to announce the Squires of Soul will be sharing their home-grown soul and funk music with us, starting around 8:00 pm!

Other Stuff

Finally, we’ll have a lot of other fun things throughout the evening:

Activities for all ages

Silent Auction for arts, crafts, and services with Community Themes!

DIY Lowell Idea Submission

Volunteer of the Year Award

Our famous Do-it-Yourself Sundae bar

Thank You!

Thanks so much to our sponsors:

2019 Star ($500+)



Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union

Super Sponsor ($200+)

Enterprise Bank

VIP ($100+)

D’Youville Life and Wellness Foundation

Gallagher & Cavanaugh

Lowell Plan

We Need Your Help!

We need your help in the following ways. Nominations and chili entries due February 15!

Award Nominations * Chili Entries * Sponsors * Volunteers

Nominate a Community Member or Group

We need nominations for people and groups you think have made a difference in making Lowell’s public spaces more vibrant, exciting, kid-friendly, colorful, walkable, or better! All nominees will get a mention in our award ceremony, and winners will get a $20 giftcard for individual and 10 volunteer hours for a group!

Nominate a Group

Submit a Chili or Stew Entry

This year, we’re hoping for a mix of cultural and ethnic stews with American chilis – anything tasty can compete! We are looking for all kinds: traditional and totally off the wall, meat or vegetable based—you name it. No cost to enter; categories for restaurants and individuals.

Enter a Chili

We have special sponsorship packages for $100, $200, and $500. Special perks for being a sponsor include VIP treatment for your organization, a banner at the event, and promotion on social media and on our mailing list.

Even if you aren’t from an organization, a donation would be a big help! After a year of Strategic Planning with our Advisory Committee, we’re kicking off a new era of DIY Lowell and raising funds to hire our first-ever part time Program Director. Donations big and small will help us reach our goal.

Click here to view our Sponsor Deck and email info@diylowell.org with expressions of interest.

Volunteer to Help Out

We need help setting up activities, counting chili ballots, scooping ice cream, and more! Please consider helping us out on March 1. Click on the button for a form with all volunteer opportunities.

Volunteer!