Get out your chili powder and ground beef. It’s time for the Abita River Chili Cook-off.

The cook-off will be held September 26 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Abita Springs Trailhead.

Entry forms can be obtained online at www.abita riverchilicookoff.com. Entry fee for the competition cook-off is $50, and teams are limited to six people. All entries must be received by Sept. 21. Entry forms and fees should be mailed to P.O. Box 1542, Abita Springs, La., 70420. Those entered in the competition will automatically be entered in the People’s Choice and Showmanship competitions. Teams must arrive at the chili cook-off location in time to be prepared to start cooking their chili at 10 a.m.

Grounds will be open and registration will begin at 8 a.m. The chili must be prepared onsite in view of the judges and other present. Electricity will not be available, but generators will be allowed. Teams will be required to turn in their completed chili four hours after the official signal to start. All competition teams will be required to submit 1 gallon of chili for the people’s choice competition.

Teams wishing to enter the only the people’s choice competition must fill out an entry form and pay a $20 entry fee. hThey, too, must provide 1 gallon of chili.

People’s Choice Chili may be prepared before competition day. People’s Choice may contain beans or other fillers, and winners will be chosen based on ballots turned in by those attending the event.

Teams will be assigned to a 10-foot by 10-foot area, and they are encouraged to decorate their area and themselves, and a trophy for showmanship will be awarded. The winner will be based on originality, costumes, booth setup and crowd appeal.

Those who are not as handy around a chili pot as he or she would like, can still attend the cook-off. For an entry fee of $5, one will be allowed to attend the event and taste and vote on all of the entries.