GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — The community gathered Saturday to enjoy some chili and raise money to restore Sullivan Field in Grand Rapids.
It’s the fourth year that the historic ballpark, also known as Valley Field, has hosted the chili cook-off.
“It’s a blast,” Paul Soltysiak, the co-founder of Fans of Valley Field, told News 8 Saturday. “We’ve got almost 40 chili teams here.”
Chili cook-off to raise money for Grand Rapids’ historic Sullivan Field
The event kicked off Saturday morning. Teams prepared their chili on site, filling the air with delicious smells.
“They come in. They make it from scratch,” Soltysiak said.
Attendees enjoyed live music, drinks and — of course — chili.
All the proceeds go to Fans of Valley Field, which is working to restore the ballpark. The organization recently announced it would restore the ballpark’s grandstands despite rot and structural issues, but the project would cost more than originally expected.