Chili cook-off huge success; October concert draws big names

The Top of OK Jam’s first Chili Classic cook-off took place Saturday at the Blackwell Event Center, with organizers welcoming several eager teams and more than 100 hungry on-lookers. Patrons participated in taste-testing, listened to live music and became the first to know about the 2022 Top of OK Jam artists.

The Chili Classic started at 9:30 a.m. when cooking teams began to set up. Doors opened to the public at 3 p.m., with musical guests Levi Walker and Cassy Kendrick performing various covers and original pieces.

It wasn’t long before Mayor T.J. Greenfield took to the stage in the Event Center to announce the 2022 concert lineup. It will be headlined by the Casey Donahew Band as well as The Bellamy Brothers. Walker and Kendrick, who performed at the fall concert, will also return. Shortly thereafter, the winners for the chili competition were announced.

First place went to Chris Pierson and Josh Ingram. Second place went to Seth Wadley Ford of Perry, and third place went to the Blackwell Fire Department’s “Red Shift” team.

The People’s Choice Award went to Atomic BBQ. The winners were given cutting boards designed by Cowgirl Moxie, a local boutique. The boards were sponsored by Seth Wadley Ford. Blackwell’s Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 2855 hosted Walker later that evening at their bar on Ferguson Avenue.

The VFW sold beer and water at the event. The Casey Donahew Band is a Texas-based country act famous for its singles, including: “White Trash Story,” “Nowhere Fast” and “Double-Wide Dream.” The Bellamy Brothers are a Florida-based duo that rose to fame in the 1970s and 1980s with tracks like “Let Your Love Flow,” “If I said You Had a Beautiful Body Would You Hold It Against Me” and “Old Hippie.”

They are also a global sensation, topping Swiss music charts and enjoying wildly successful tours through Europe.

Kendrick is a local musical sensation with a dedicated and growing following. So is Walker, a red dirt musician from Oklahoma who has a built-in audience from SoundCloud, YouTube and other sites.

The 2022 Top of OK Jam will be Oct. 8. Tickets can be purchased online at www.topofokjam.com.