Around 40 years ago, a group of neighbors in Ocean Beach came up with an idea: why not host a street party in the heart of the community?
The idea was soon realized, and local merchants and music and food were organized along a block of Newport Avenue for an ultimate community gathering. The Ocean Beach Street Fair was born.
“We barbecued out on the street when there weren’t so many regulations — we just closed down the street,” said Denny Knox, the executive director of the Ocean Beach Main Street Association, who was a part of the community group that planned the first street fair in the early 1980s.
One problem, she added, was the music stage’s location. “It rattled all the windows on the businesses across the street.”
The 45th Annual Ocean Beach Street Fair & Chili Cook-Off took place on Saturday. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
On Saturday, now after decades of success, the annual street fair returned to Ocean Beach. It brought crowds of people to Newport Avenue and surrounding streets to peruse dozens of vendor booths, listen to music at two main stages and enjoy an idyllic San Diego summer day.
Plus, attendees could participate in the long-standing chili cook-off — a key part of the street fair since 1984. This year, there were 24 different teams — including nine restaurants and 15 amateur chefs — competing for cash prizes.
Along with a panel of judges, event attendees could get in on their own judging, with tasters receiving a card to keep track of the chilis. “I’m ready for the next one,” an attendee was heard saying, with another telling his friend that he was “a little chili-ed out.”
As for the competitors, they take their job seriously.
“It’s not a lot of store-bought stuff here — it’s a lot of homemade,” said Alex Peltier, who, with a couple of friends, has participated in the cook-off for the last three years.
At the 45th Annual Ocean Beach Street Fair & Chili Cook-Off, Lauren Alstrup (r) and Ana Buelna (l) served up samples of their chili from the La Doña restaurant. The group is competing in the restaurant division for the chili cook-off. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Their chili on Saturday was made with an array of meat, including smoked brisket, tri-tip and sausage, and a mix of beans, seasonings, garlic and veggies.
“We’re all coming from different areas, so… we’re blending recipes together,” he added.
A lot has changed about the Ocean Beach Street Fair and Chili Cook-Off since its inception. There are more regulations now, and sponsors. It’s also grown; there’s a beer garden, a Hodad’s burger eating contest along with a special section dedicated to local artists’ handmade items and demonstrations.
The event was initially hosted as a way to raise money for the Fourth of July fireworks show, but over the years, the fair and cook-off’s operating costs have increased significantly.
A portion of the profit made from the event now goes toward the Ocean Beach Main Street Association’s Clean & Safe Program, an initiative with efforts including sidewalk cleaning and solar safety lighting.
But a lot has also stayed the same. The event still aims to support local businesses, and some of the event’s founders are still actively involved — such as Mike Akey, the chili cook-off’s founder, head judge and vice president of the Ocean Beach Main Street Association.
At the 45th Annual Ocean Beach Street Fair & Chili Cook-Off on Saturday, several painters take part in the large “community mural” project. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
A lifelong Ocean Beach resident and chili connoisseur, Akey has seen his fair share of unique chili over the years. There was one made with armadillo and another with snake, and chilis that were white in color, instead of the typical red.
“This is what I tell the judges: Look for color, consistency, taste and smell,” he said.
In the past, he’s seen chili chefs dress up in costumes, and once someone presented their chili in a — clean — toilet bowl. Contestants must make 10 gallons of chili so that all judges and participants can have a taste.
“They’re very creative,” Akey said. “I have to give them credit for that.”
Ocean Beach residents Joanne and Carl Savage were waiting in line for their next chili sample late Saturday morning, after having already tried several options. Some chilis were spicy and smoky, others sweet, and there were vegetarian chilis while others were made with a variety of meats.
The couple has lived in Ocean Beach since 1998 and has been coming to the street fair for about 15 years.
The event does feel like a locals’ event, almost like a kick-off to summer in one of San Diego’s quintessential beach towns.
“I’ve been going to this since I was a kid,” said Jeff Kalmonson, another longtime resident.
And while he was enjoying the chili at the cook-off, it’s about more than that, he says. “It’s the community and just a fun atmosphere.”