Chili on the Comstock & Craft Brew Tour
Perfectly seasoned, award-winning cauldrons of chili and locally acclaimed craft beer is the name of the game in historic Virginia City, Nevada, Chili on the Comstock returns for its 44th year. Professional and amateur chili cooks from around the region come together each year to tantalize taste buds with savory chili. New this year a hot chili pepper eating contest will have attendees and participants clambering for those frosty beers on the Craft Beer Tour. The region’s largest chili cook-off offers a relaxed and casual atmosphere sure to refuel the history and love of all things Western.
Local and visiting chefs descend upon Nevada’s largest national historic district for one weekend to go head-to-head for bragging rights on best chili recipe on the Comstock and hopefully earn a spot at the International Chili Society World Finals. There’s no better way to explore the best-preserved 19th century silver boomtown in Nevada than with savory chili and a craft beer in hand, offered at more than 20 locations throughout historic Virginia City as part of the Craft Beer Tour. Guiding participants through Virginia City’s famous old-west saloons and highlighting the best craft brews in the region, the Craft Beer Tour is the perfect complement to a day of chili sampling.
May 16th
10 a.m. – 4 p.m.May 17th
10 a.m. – 4 p.m.Tickets and Packages
Individual beer and chili sampling packages are available now, as well as packages offering a combination of chili and beer tastings and entries to the chili pepper eating contest. Each Chili Sampling Only ticket gives purchasers access to 10 cooks. If that’s not enough chili for one day, additional packages can be purchased onsite. The Craft Beer Tour gives ticket holders the chance to sample craft beers at participating saloons and bars. The Chili & Craft Beer Sampling Combo gives ticket holders the best value with 10 chili samples and 12 craft beer samples to match.
Anyone interested in enjoying spring weather in the high desert without chili or beer samplings can attend the event for free. Ticket holders can redeem tickets both days.
Craft Brew Tour Only
$40
- Map of participating Craft Beer Tour saloons & merchants
- 12 craft beer samples at event bars & participating saloons
- 1 full beer of your choice at event bar
- 3 sweet treats at participating merchants
Must be 21+
Chili & Craft Brew Tour Combo
$55
- 10 chili samples
- A People’s Choice vote for your favorite chili cook
- 12 craft beer samples at chili event bars & participating saloons
- 1 full beer of your choice at chili event bar
- Map of Participating Craft Brew Tour saloons & merchants
- 3 sweet treats at participating merchants
Must be 21+
The Great Fire Competition
$40
- Entry into The Great Fire – Hot Chili Pepper Eating Challenge
- 2 drink tokens valid at event bars
- 5 chili samples
- 1st-3rd place win trophies
- Chili Eating Champion wins a percentage of the registration pot
- New competition each day of the event
*Must be 21 or older
*Must sign a waiver before the competition
The DD
$20
- A map of participating saloons & merchants
- Non-alcoholic beverages at participating Craft Beer Tour saloons (upon request)
- 3 sweet treats
- 3 chili samples
Crank up the Heat
Those looking to crank up the heat can enter the all-new hot chili pepper eating contest, The Great Fire – Hot Chili Pepper Eating Challenge. See how hot it can get on the Comstock as daring participants chow down on piping hot chilis both days of the event. Watch the Scoville Scale go up and craft beers go down during this entertaining and all-for-fun part of the event. For $30, participants also receive two drink tokens valid at one of the event bars, five chili samples from Chili on the Comstock cooks, and the chance to be crowned the Chili Eating Champion. The top three finishers receive trophies, and the champion will go home with half of the registration pot. Entries can be purchased in advance online.
Professional and amateur chili cooks from around the region come together each year to tantalize taste buds with savory chili. So, if you think you’ve got what it takes to be the best, sign up today to show us what your chili is made of.
Professional and amateur chili cooks from around the region come together each year to tantalize taste buds with savory chili. So, if you think you’ve got what it takes to be the best, sign up today to show us what your chili is made of.
Just looking for rooms?
Plan ahead and book before lodging options sell out. View Virginia City’s lodging options here.
