Chili, Beer, and Free Trees at Grand Junction Southwest Arbor Fest

(Zane Mathews)

Spring time is chili time in Grand Junction and it's almost time for the 13th Annual Southwest Arbor Fest featuring chili and beer tasting, and free trees.

Southwest Arbor Fest, at Lincoln Park in Grand Junction on Saturday, April 19th from noon to 5 pm is a great family event with free admission.

There will be a chili and salsa competition for cash prizes, and festival attendees can sample chili for $5 and vote for their favorite.

Live music is provided throughout the afternoon, and the kids always enjoy the touch-a-truck section.

Plus there will be art and craft booths throughout the park, and of course, a variety of free tree seedlings are given out as part of the Arbor Day celebration.

A Colorado Craft Beer Expo is part of this year's event, offering a commemorative glass and unlimited beer tastings for $20.

For those that have the stomach, the Jalapeno Eating Contest will award $100 to the last person standing. It's free to enter, but be warned, it's tougher than it looks.

While I'm not a beer drinker, I am a chili eater, and that's one reason why I love this event. I'm not cooking chili this year, one year removed from taking home the Third Place Trophy Spoon in the media competition. But, I plan to do some tasting - and the hotter and spicier the better.

Generally, there is a variety of chilies from traditional red bean and meat chili, to green chili, and even white chili. As long as it's chili it doesn't matter. It's a great event and a sure sign that Spring is in fact here.