BECKLEY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – Monday afternoon a committee met to decide the fate of the widely popular event which is held annually in downtown Beckley. The event did not take place in 2020 due to concerns of the Covid-19 virus which threatened to derail the event yet again.
Per the Director of Beckley Events, Jill Moorefield, Chili Night will continue as scheduled but in a limited capacity. There will be a maximum of 1,000 tickets sold this year, a mere 25% of the 4,000 typically sold during the event. It was also revealed that the occasion will feature 20 chili vendors and 20 non-chili vendors. Moorefield has stated that masks will not be required for attendance, although they are encouraged.
The decision comes amidst growing concerns of Covid-19 surge which have led to the cancellation of various local events across the state including Lewisburg’s Taste of Our Town fundraiser, White Sulpher Springs’ Freshwater Folk Festival, and the Barbour County Fair which was also called off last year. Bridge Day, which occurs every third Saturday in October in Fayette County, also faced potential cancellation but is slated to continue as scheduled following a 4-2 committee vote.
Chili Night will take place in downtown Beckley on Saturday, October 2nd, 2021.