This weekend downtown Okotoks will be flooded with people ready to fill their bowls and their stomachs.

Sixteen different teams and about 80 vendors will take over Elizabeth Street in Okotoks on Saturday for Chili Fest.

Teams will be making about 25 pounds of chili each for people to taste and vote on for the categories of best chili, most enthusiastic team, and best western theme in part with the Okotoks Pro Rodeo.

Mark Doherty, Community Events Coordinator for the Town of Okotoks, says the Town put out a request for not-for-profit groups to help organize the event.

"It was Dr. Morris Gibson's student council that won this and all the proceeds from that Chili cook-off are going back into buying new playground equipment so it's really for the community, it's not exclusive to that school, so it's a great cause."

Doherty says with Chili Fest, a little goes a long way.

"Five dollars you buy a sample bowl and that five dollar sample bowl gets you entitled to try 16 different chilies," he says. "You'll be stuffed by the end of it, pick your winner, and take it from there."

Aside from the chili sampling the weekend is spiced up with children's activities, live music, and the outdoor artisan street market.

The day kicks off on Sat. at 10 a.m. with the competition starting at 11.