A Chili Forecast

Regardless of whether the weather in late January is chilly in South Florida, it will be a chili January, thanks to the 28th Annual 99.9 KISS Country Chili Cookoff, which is scheduled for Sunday, January 27 at C.B. Smith Park in Pembroke Pines. For more than a quarter of a century people have been satisfyiing their appetite for top-notch country music at the event, and this year is no exception.

The headliner is Luke Bryan, who was on the schedule a year ago as one of the openers; his most recent record was last year's Tailgates & Tanlines. Other acts include Ronnie Dunn (formerly of the legendary duo Brooks & Dunn, which performed at the event back in 1996), Thompson Square (“If I Didn’t Have You”), Florida Georgia Line (Here’s to the Good Times), and Kacey Musgraves (“Merry Go ‘Round”).

Tickets are $45 (not including service charge) from completeticketsolutions.com, which also offers parking passes for $5/each for the Pines Boulevard lot (open at 1 a.m.) and the Taft Street lot (open at 6 a.m.). Handicapped parking will be available at the Johnson Street lot with an official handicapped parking placard only.

Concert gates open at 8:30 a.m., and the concert begins at approximately 10 a.m. Other ticket outlets include Walmarts in Cooper City, Pembroke Pines (both locations), and the Sawgrass Mills area; and Pet Supermarkets in Broward and Miami-Dade.

This is a rain-or-shine event, meaning no refunds will be available. Also, no cans, coolers, bottles, video cameras, flags/flagpoles, weapons, umbrellas, backpacks, or pets allowed. Food and refreshments will be available for purchase. Chili from the competition cannot be tasted by the public unless the contestant has a registered food vendor permit.

For additional information, visit www.wkis.com. C.B. Smith is accessible via Broward County Transit Routes #3, #5, #7, #23, and 95 EXPRESS.