The final days of summer will conclude in Malibu, as they have for decades, with generations of families sampling sizzling pots of vegan, pork, chicken and prime beef chili as the Malibu Kiwanis Club kicks off its 35th Annual Chili Cook-Off and Carnival on Friday.
The event, held Labor Day Weekend on Civic Center Way and Stuart Ranch Road, has been a Labor Day tradition for not only locals and celebrities, but for tourists and other participants who have come to Malibu from as far as Finland and South Africa.
An event of such scale requires months of planning to obtain permits and locate vendors, organizations, entertainers, volunteers and participants. Organizers, who spend countless hours of work to pull off the event, call it a labor of love for the community of Malibu.
“When we open the gates on Friday night, we see people rolling in, and the pressure is lifted,” Sal Cirnigliaro, Treasurer of the Kiwanis Club of Malibu, said. “We wonder how we get it done.”
But Cirnigliaro gives the credit to the people who live in Malibu for actually starting the event and keeping it personal.
“Once upon a time there were over 100 members in the Kiwanis Club who got together to meet each other, and even though there are few members today, the cook-off still remains a networking and community event,” Cirnigliaro said.
Despite the small town venue, it grows in numbers every year. This year, organizers expect well over 10,000 visitors. When asked by The Malibu Times what makes this event different from other cook-offs and fairs, Cirnigliaro said it is unique because it has “people watching.”
“We have entourages, celebrities and many influential people coming to this event in flip flops and shorts,” Cirnigliaro laughed. “You don’t get this kind of stuff in other places and never know who you will bump into.”
John Paola, President of the Kiwanis Club of Malibu, said the group pays for the event out of its own pocket, and the proceeds they make help recoup the cost. The funds from the event benefit many organizations from Malibu and the surrounding communities. The club strives to keep costs down for vendors, so the restaurants, shops and artists can use the event as a platform for publicity for their own businesses.
“We give scholarships to schools, help people with post traumatic stress disorder,” Paola said. “We have donated around four and a half million dollars back to Malibu alone over the past 35 years.”
Despite the 12-hour work days, Paola said he will continue doing it as long as he can. For Paola, it is about helping the community and hanging on to the tradition.
“When we see the eyes of the kids on Friday night, they make it all worth it,” Paola said.
This year, the event will raffle off tickets to win free trips to Fiji, Costa Rica, Mammoth and Palm Springs, among other exciting prizes.
“We are raffling vacations and other items donated by local Malibu residents and businesses,” Paola explained.
“The community really supports us every year — we couldn’t do it without them or our volunteers,” he added.
This year’s cook-off and carnival will host over 20 rides and vendors, lots of games, raffles, food trucks, arts and crafts, and prizes. Entertainers perform Friday evening and Saturday and Sunday afternoon.
The Malibu Kiwanis Club Chili Cook-Off and Carnival takes place Friday through Monday, Sept. 2-5. More information is available at malibukiwanischilicookoff.com.
