Chili Cookoff

The Chili Cookoff takes over the Dallas Arboretum on Friday, October 30, from 6 to 9 PM. It's one of the themed nights within Pumpkins and Pints, a series of curated autumn evenings the garden runs throughout the season. Each Friday, the Arboretum's Pumpkin Village takes on a different theme, pairing live entertainment with a specific food and drink menu, and this one lands right on Halloween weekend.

The main draw is a chili tasting, served alongside street corn, jalapeño poppers, sweet potatoes, and cornbread. The music gets turned up for the night, and there's a dedicated bar where you can design your own custom trucker hat. It's a full-on tasting spread rather than a single pot, so you can work your way through the chili and the sides over the course of the evening.

Since it's part of the Pumpkins and Pints series, the night is built around the Pumpkin Village, the garden's seasonal installation. The whole thing runs from 6 to 9 PM, so it's an after-dark outing in the gardens. Food and drinks are available for purchase throughout the night, and the Arboretum doesn't allow outside food or drink on the grounds. If you're planning to come, keep in mind that the chili, the sides, and the drinks are all bought on-site.