24Th Annual Chili Cook-Off

Event Analysis 24th Annual Chili Cook-Off Springfield Expo Center, MO By Stephanie Beran

Introduction

I attended the 24th Annual, Sertoma Chili Cook-Off on Saturday, February 12,

2005. The event was held from 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. at the Springfield Exposition

Center, located at 623 St. Louis Street in downtown Springfield, Missouri. The Chili

Cook-Off was a benefit event for the Boys & Girls Club of Springfield. The day was full of a little spice and everything nice. Attendees ate, drank, socialized, and enjoyed all the event had to offer. It was my first experience in the Springfield Expo Center and a very memorable one. However wonderful, I was also aware of what could have been done to improve the overall ‘experience’ of the event for attendees.

Service from entry to exit

I arrived at the event around 12:00 P.M. To minimize congestion around the

Expo Center, volunteers were directing traffic. After a brief and tolerable wait, I was directed into the parking garage, just east of the Expo Center, where I had wished to park.

At the parking garage entrance, a machine quickly printed a parking ticket serving as permission for me to use the garage. The parking fee was to be paid upon exit so not to congest traffic while attendees dug for money. A woman, in uniform, was also standing at the parking garage entrance to give attendees direction and answer any questions they might have. When I asked her, “How much does parking cost?” she politely replied, “A

1 Beran flat fee of $5.00 to be paid upon your exit.” There were clearly labeled directions inside the parking garage which allowed me to quickly and easily find the next closest, available parking spot. Each parking level was denoted with a color and level number so attendees could easily find their vehicles upon departure. I parked on the second level and clearly identified stairs led me down to the garage’s exit to the Expo Center. For those with disabilities, an elevator also ran through each floor of the garage. Upon exiting the garage, a pathway led attendees to the Expo Center entrance. I and others however, chose to cut across the grass of the Arena site, which will be completed in 2007.

After a short walk, I arrived at the entrance doors of the Expo Center. A man, wearing a Chili Cook-Off apron, opened one of the lobby doors for me and kindly greeted me. “Welcome to the 24th Annual Chili Cook-Off. Do you have your tickets?” I replied, “No. Where can I purchase them?” I purchased my tickets directly from him.

There were many others greeting attendees and selling tickets out of their aprons, so there were no lines to buy tickets. The tickets were $10.00 each however they were also sold in advance for $7.00 each. The cost of the ticket included entry into the event, entertainment, all you can eat chili and available beverages, not including alcohol. Those attendees, like myself, who planned to purchase alcoholic beverages once inside the event, were directed to the top of the stairs where IDs were checked and wrist bands, denoting 21 years of age, were given. I was then directed to the downstairs lobby where

I was welcomed again and handed a napkin, cup, and plastic spoon for the chili. Those with disabilities were directed to the elevator, which also took them down to the level of the main event.

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All entry doors from the downstairs lobby to the expo area were ‘propped’ open, as the event enveloped all three 15,000 square foot sections of the center. I entered through the center doors. Police officers stood at each entry/exit way to serve and control attendees. Restrooms and concession areas were largely, clearly, and visibly indicated on the back wall of the expo area. Exit signs were also visibly lit, in case of emergency.

The standard 8 X10 booth size kept the aisle width consistent and made navigating from booth to booth uncomplicated. Easels, with the name of each booth and their location in the expo layout, were also placed throughout the center for attendees to refer to when navigating the area. Each booth’s occupants had their company title or name clearly indicated, and treated their guests in a professional, friendly manner. All chili ingredients were visible and those handling the chili wore sanitary gloves and had their hair pulled back. Those booths serving other snacks or beverages also conducted themselves in a professional manner. Regardless of the type of booth, all were inviting and consumer- friendly.

Upon leaving the expo area, police officers at the entry/exit ways made sure no food or beverages were taken out of the expo area into the downstairs lobby. They directed attendees to throw away all trash, in the trash cans located at each exit, to ensure the facility’s downstairs lobby stayed nice and clean. They also informed attendees that they may pick up another napkin, cup and spoon, if they wished, before reentering the expo area. Upstairs in the lobby, I was thanked for coming and was informed I could reenter the center anytime before the end of the event with my ticket stub.

I easily made my way back to the parking garage and to my car, where I followed the flow of traffic to the garage exit. There was a line of cars waiting to pay their parking

3 Beran fee but two booths were open, taking money, and the process went rather quickly. I pulled up to one of the booths, handed the gentleman the parking ticket I had received upon entry, paid my $5.00, and was once again thanked for attending the event. A volunteer was still directing traffic in and out of the parking garage and I quickly and easily was on my way.

Engaging the Audience

At the 24th Annual Chili Cook-Off, attendees were engaged and constantly entertained. A number of artists performed on the main stage, in the expo area, and invited attendees to come to the front of the stage to dance and sing along to their favorite songs. Their musical performances could be heard throughout the expo area and there was hardly a quiet moment. Each booth had its own theme or personality and openly and directly invited attendees to experience what they had to offer. The booths were elaborately constructed and decorated according to their themes, and the occupants dressed to match. One booth for example, ran by the Springfield Fire Department, offered attendees an extremely HOT chili. Those brave enough to try it, were given stickers to display their courage in tackling the fire of all chilies. Booths that served alcohol gave attendees flashing, logo pins in return for supporting their brand. Another booth had a distinct Arabian Nights type of theme. Lavishly dressed, carrying a boom- box blasting music, they led “conga” lines throughout the expo area and encouraged attendees to join them. Merchandise, such as hats and tee-shirts, displaying the Chili

Cook-Off logo were also available for attendees to purchase. The merchandise allowed attendees to display their enthusiasm for the event, promote the event and future events, and served as experience memorabilia.

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Sense Appeal

The 24th Annual Chili Cook-Off appealed to all five of the attendees’ senses. The two senses that provided minimal and unintentional appeal were touch and smell. It became overcast with scattered showers the day of the event, so the natural bi-product was the feel of rain drops and dampness in the air. Other forms of touch appeal were the feel of friendly handshakes, the handling of hot food and of cold beverages. These other forms of touch were also bi-product of other senses and were not consciously supplied for their appeal to touch. Smell, was the second sense that had minimal, concentrated attention placed on its appeal. Smell was a bi-product of the planned appeal to the sense of taste. The wonderful aroma of the chili filled the center, from the upstairs lobby to the expo area bathrooms, and stimulated attendees’ hunger. The strong smell helped set the mood and tone of the event.

The three senses that were heavily utilized to appeal to attendees were sight, sound, and taste. The Springfield Expo Center itself is relatively new and attractive to the eye. The décor is nice and consists of: skylights for natural lighting; big, modern light fixtures ran by computerized timers; plush, color-appealing carpet covers the downstairs lobby; cushioned, bench seating lines the walls of the upstairs and downstairs lobbies; plants add a natural flare; and artwork ties it all together. Inside the expo area,

8 X10 booths were elaborately constructed and decorated to fit their theme and/or personality. Colorful paint, lights, ribbon, garland, fabric, and creative flare were utilized. The Springfield Fire Department, for example, constructed their booth to look like a fire truck and strung it with chili lights for added flare. My favorite booth however, was themed “Peace, Love & Chili” and resembled the 70s era. Peace signs and

5 Beran flowers were painted with bright, neon paint and glowed in the black light against a black background. Beads hung from the ceiling and front of the booth, shag carpets lined the floor, and Bob Marley could be heard in the background. The main stage where artists performed was also brightly and colorfully lit and appealed to attendees’ sight. Although the chili looked delightful, it tasted even better. There was something for everyone at the event that appealed to attendees’ sense of taste. Each chili had its own unique taste to offer and could be washed down with McAllister’s tea, beer, soda, liquor, or water. Ice cream was even offered for those with a sweet tooth. All this was accompanied by the sounds of the performers on the main stage, the conversation between friends and family, and the hustle and bustle of attendees. Overall, the event was appealing and pleasing to all five senses.

Contributions to the overall experience and functioning of the event

Many things were done at the 24th Annual Chili Cook-Off that contributed to both the overall experience and functioning of the event. To ensure the event would function as smoothly as possible, many factors were taken into consideration and implemented.

Volunteers assisted with directing traffic and multiple parking areas were made available.

Volunteers also greeted attendees at the door and directly sold tickets to those who had not bought tickets in advance. To prevent under age drinking, wrist bands were given to those over 21 years of age. Plastic cups and spoons were provided to prevent breakage, injury, and contamination. Police officers stood at entry/exit ways to ensure no food or beverage left the expo area. They also made their presence known to prevent under age drinking and for crowd control purposes. Bathrooms, concessions, exits, and the layout of the event were clearly identified. Numerous trash cans were strategically placed

6 Beran throughout the expo area to prevent the aisles from getting cluttered and haphazard with trash. All of these considerations contributed to the overall functioning of the event.

Other factors and many of the same factors contributed to the overall experience of the event. These factors include: service attendees experienced from entry to exit; their engagement in the event; the stimulation of all five of the attendees’ senses; and the smooth functioning of the event, which have been described above.

Appeal to certain segments of attendees

The 24th Annual Chili Cook-Off had a vast, diverse crowd. Attendees differed on the basis of race, age, gender, and income. There were local Springfieldians and out-of- towners from surrounding areas. There were college kids, but there were also a great number of families with kids of all ages, married couples, retired elderly, and business people of all sorts. Although the crowd was quite diverse, the Chili Cook-Off offered something that appealed to each segment of the crowd. Several different foods and beverages were offered to attendees. For those looking to have a few cold ones, a beer garden was located just off the main floor of the expo. On the main stage, some artists’ performances appealed to the older generation, while others entertained the kids. The event offered a little something for everyone.

Recommended Improvements

Although I thoroughly enjoyed my 24th Annual Chili Cook-Off experience at the

Springfield Expo Center, some improvements could be made to improve the overall experience of the event in upcoming years. From the beginning of my experience to the end, I noted a few things which I thought could be improved upon. First, I was unsure

7 Beran whether I was able to use the same cup for all of my chili samples, considering sanitary purposes. This could have easily been made clear by either posting a sign where attendees are given their first cup upon entering the expo and/or by volunteers verbally informing attendees of chili cup usage. Second, I stood in line waiting to get beer before

I was informed I had to purchase tickets to exchange for beers. This also could have been easily prevented with signs or by being informed by those checking IDs and administering wrist bands upon entry. Third, it often became difficult to hold your cup full of chili, your spoon, napkin, drink, and any other personal items you may have brought with you to the event. I recommend a plastic plate to set cups and spoon on, with a hole in it for your beverage to improve this problem. With this recommendation implemented, attendees would only have to manage one item as opposed to four. Fourth, after awhile standing and eating got a bit tiring and attendees were not allowed to leave the expo area with any food or beverage. I recommend adding additional seating in the beer garden and around the outskirts of the expo area where booths are not located to solve this problem. My fifth and final recommendation is to supply patrons with a map of the layout of the booths. Although there were maps located on easels around the expo area, paper maps would allow attendees to see where the booths they wished to visit were located, without having to revert back to one of the larger easel maps. Overall, the event was very enjoyable and functioned smoothly. These minor improvements only serve as suggestions to make the Chili Cook-Off in the coming years that much more enjoyable.

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