The main features of the event were a rock music concert, although vendors and sponsors also set up booths to form a temporary marketplace.
In its earlier years, the Cook-Off was often held at the intersection of K St. and Wisconsin Ave. in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C., but later moved to the intersection of 12th St. and Pennsylvania Ave. After 9/11, security concerns forced the event to move to a series of nearby locations over the next several years. In 2007 and 2008, the Cook-Off was held at the Center City Lot, formerly the location of the Washington Convention Center. In 2009, for the first time, the Cook-Off was held at RFK Stadium.[1] [2]
The 2009 Chili Cook-Off attracted the largest crowd in the event's history, with 35,000[3] attendees.
The concert portion showcased the music of several modern rock acts, all performing on a single stage erected in the RFK stadium parking lot. Lineups for the concert were usually announced in late March or early April. In later years, a "Last Band Standing" competition was held to select a local group to open the show.
DC101 announced the Kerfuffle for 2014 at Merriweather Post Pavilion, but there was no mention of a 2014 Chili Cook-Off. The date of the DC101 Kerfuffle was May 3, around the time the Cook-Off is usually held. As of May 2024, no further Chili Cook-Offs have been announced or hosted.
| width=50px | Date | Location | Musical acts |
|---|
| October 4, 1980 | Rosecroft Raceway[4] / Fort Washington, MD | |
| May 3, 1981 | Rosecroft Raceway / Fort Washington, MD | |
| May 16, 1982 | Prince George's Equestrian Center[5] / Upper Marlboro, MD | The Silver Band, Largo High School Band |
| May 14, 1983 | Prince George's Equestrian Center / Upper Marlboro, MD | |
| May 13, 1984 | Rash Field / Baltimore, MD | |
| June 8, 1985 | Hopkins Plaza / Baltimore, MD | |
| May 10, 1986 | K St. and Wisconsin Ave. / Georgetown, Washington, D.C. | Lone Justice, Downtown |
| May 23, 1987 | Broadway Square / Baltimore, MD | |
| May 20, 1989 | K St. and Wisconsin Ave. / Georgetown, Washington, D.C. | The T-Birds, New Potato Caboose, Bird Dog Wheeler |
| May 19, 1990 | K St. and Wisconsin Ave. / Georgetown, Washington, D.C. | The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Steve Smith and The Nakeds, Bird Dog Wheeler |
| May 18, 1991 | K St. and Wisconsin Ave. / Georgetown, Washington, D.C. | Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers, Downtown, Child's Play |
| May 22, 1993 | K St. and Wisconsin Ave. / Georgetown, Washington, D.C. | Blue Öyster Cult, Child's Play, Y-Not? |
| May 21, 1994 | K St. and Wisconsin Ave. / Georgetown, Washington, D.C. | Kansas |
| May 20, 1995 | K St. and Wisconsin Ave. / Georgetown, Washington, D.C. | Collective Soul, Eddie From Ohio, Sorry About Your Daughter |
| May 18, 1996 | K St. and Wisconsin Ave. / Georgetown, Washington, D.C. | Spin Doctors, Dog's Eye View, Seven Mary Three, Toadies, The Badlees, The Emptys |
| May 17, 1997 | 12th St. and Pennsylvania Ave. / Washington, D.C. | Cracker, Cowboy Mouth, Sponge, Chalk FarM, Patti Rothberg, emmet swimming, Silverjet |
| May 30, 1998 | 12th St. and Pennsylvania Ave. / Washington, D.C. | Blink182, Everclear, Smash Mouth, Jimmie's Chicken Shack, Brother Cane, Mighty Joe Plum, Foam |
| May 22, 1999 | 12th St. and Pennsylvania Ave. / Washington, D.C. | Fuel, Sponge, Finger Eleven, The Flys, Virgos Merlot, Bare, Jr., emmet swimming |
| May 20, 2000 | 12th St. and Pennsylvania Ave. / Washington, D.C. | Goo Goo Dolls, Vertical Horizon, Our Lady Peace, Stroke 9, 8 Stops 7, Ebo |
| May 19, 2001 | 12th St. and Pennsylvania Ave. / Washington, D.C. | Train, Eve6, The Go-Go's, Seven Mary Three, Jimmie's Chicken Shack, Smartbomb |
| May 18, 2002 | 12th St. and Pennsylvania Ave. / Washington, D.C. | Soul Asylum, Puddle of Mudd, Something Corporate, Remy Zero, Sugarcult, Carbon Leaf, Pete Yorn, 2 Skinnee J's, Welbilt |
| May 17, 2003 | 12th St. and Pennsylvania Ave. / Washington, D.C. | Third Eye Blind, 3 Doors Down, Saliva, The Exies, Cold, Theory of a Deadman, Stage, Agents of the Sun |
| October 16, 2004 | 12th St. and Independence Ave. / Washington, D.C. | Cake, Jimmy Eat World, Switchfoot, The Donnas, Chevelle, Thousand Foot Krutch, The Speaks |
| May 14, 2005 | 12th St. and Independence Ave. / Washington, D.C. | Papa Roach, Chevelle, Trust Company, Carbon Leaf, Tony C. and the Truth, The Dan Band, Rude Buddha |
| May 20, 2006 | 12th St. and C St. / Washington, D.C. | Better Than Ezra, Hoobastank, Bloodhound Gang, Tonic, Smash-Up Derby, Rude Buddha, Everyone But Pete |
| May 12, 2007 | Center City Lot / Washington, D.C. | Jet, Three Days Grace, Buckcherry, Breaking Benjamin, Silversun Pickups, The Bravery, Minus-One |
| May 10, 2008 | Center City Lot / Washington, D.C. | Staind, Live, Seether, Finger Eleven, Chevelle, Deaf Pedestrians, The Blackjacks |
| May 16, 2009 | RFK Stadium / Washington, D.C. | The Offspring, Third Eye Blind, Shinedown, Papa Roach, Puddle of Mudd, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Niki Barr Band |
| May 22, 2010 | RFK Stadium / Washington, D.C. | Stone Temple Pilots, Alice in Chains, Cage The Elephant, Switchfoot, Anberlin, Tears of Mars |
| May 21, 2011 | | Weezer, Panic! at the Disco, Papa Roach, Seether, Neon Trees, Paper Tongues, Middle Class Rut |
| May 12, 2012 | RFK Stadium / Washington, D.C. | Incubus, Cake, The Airborne Toxic Event, Awolnation, Neon Trees, Civil Twilight, Twin Atlantic |
| May 4, 2013 | RFK Stadium / Washington, D.C. | Soundgarden, Awolnation, Silversun Pickups, Capital cities, Beware of Darkness, RDGLDGRN | |
