SoNo Fest and Chili Cook-Off

08/12/2025

PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD 2025 GOES TO..... 🥁

!!

Cafe Madeline has been a long time supporter of McKinley Elementary and we adore them ❤️ Well deserved honor for their delicious chili this year!

Thank you to everyone who took the time to sample, ponder over, and vote for their favorite!

Who were some of your favorite chilis this year?? (there are so many to choose from!)

07/12/2025

Winner, winner, winner!
Drumroll please! 🥁

Here are your 2025 SoNo Fest Chili Winners in the following four categories:

🏆 BEST OVERALL: Lazy Dog!!
🏆 BEST VEGETARIAN:
🏆 MOST UNIQUE:
🏆 SONO'S SWEETEST:

Stick around for the People's Choice announcement on the Beer Garden Stage!

GIGANTIC THANK YOU to ALL our chili competitors!! We love you so much 😭 The judges all agreed the decision to pick winners was TOUGH! You are our heros ❤️

07/12/2025

>> swipe for the after

05/12/2025

Calling all SoNo Fest Chili mug collectors! 📣
The 2025 mug is here and it's gorgeous, baby!

This year we're serving up a full sized mug, complete with our 2025 logo to add to (or start) your collection!

Buy these bad boys online and pick them up with your tasting tickets at our pre-event pick up sites before Sunday, or meet us at the Info Booth on the day of the event to get your mug! (Pre-orders can be picked up day-of, and mugs are for sale day-of until they sell out!)

3 days until your belly is full of chili!

🔗 Link in bio [ www.SoNoFestChiliCookOff.com ]

04/12/2025

🚨 Official Kouta Shimazaki appreciation post and CERAMIC BOWL SALE info ahead!

Meet Kouta. He's a ceramicist (is that a word?). A ceramic magician. A clay transformer. A pillar of the community. A friend.

He taught ceramics classes to all the students at McKinley Elementary School for years, and he also had a lil' chili cook off for his San Diego Ceramic Connection folks. In 2010 Kouta and some McKinley parents brought the school holiday fair and Kouta's chili cook off together... and SoNo Fest was born ✨

Get your one of a kind, handmade ceramic bowl and SoNo Fest Chili tasting pass!
🗓️ THIS FRIDAY, 12/5
⏰ from 6-8 pm
📍 SD Ceramic Connection: 3216 Thorn Street

Ceramic bowls will also be available at the Community Chili event at SD Ceramic Connection on Saturday, 12/4 from 1 - 4 pm, and on Sunday, 12/5 at SoNo Fest starting at 11 am until they are sold out! 🥣

02/12/2025

Cheers to the tastiest lil' beer garden at the biggest little street fest in town! At SoNo Fest you can enjoy a cold beverage in between chili tastings, as you savor the sounds of live music from the Beer Garden Stage.

BIG shout out to our generous booze donors! (and a few special guest star beverages are coming in hot... don't miss it 😉)

See you all THIS SUNDAY!!
12/7/25
11 am - 5 pm
32nd St & Thorn St

30/11/2025

Want to do something for your community by helping make SoNo magic happen? We’re still in need of volunteers!
Open spots include kids zone, beer servers, beer and merch cashiers, and general break down.

✔ No experience required
✔ Good vibes included

Sign up here:

SignUp.com makes it easy to coordinate school events & classroom activities, fundraisers, snack schedules, potlucks & more!

24/11/2025

SoNo Fest sponsors keep our ticket prices reasonable while still helping us reach our fundraising goals - let's SUPPORT OUR SUPPORTERS and show them the love ❤️

Improve your home life with these 2025 SoNo Fest sponsors 🏡:

• LUXE Bidet will improve your toilet time and reduce TP purchases 🚽

• Renewal by Andersen will install shiny new windows to brighten your view of 2026, and don't forget to address your plumbing needs with Community Plumbing and get that roof repaired or replaced with Dennis Cook Roofing! 🪟 🪠 🏠

• If you have home project needs, big or small, be sure to call VanBerg Construction or Coder Construction - both come highly recommended by many folks in the neighborhood! 🔨

• Tecture will help you with design and fabrication, so you have less to manage! 🎨

• And the finishing touch of low-maintenance turf installed quickly and professionally by woman-owned Big Bully Turf will earn you major curb appeal points! 🌱

Huge shout-out to these awesome SoNo Fest Sponsors! 🫂

17/11/2025

🚨 THREE WEEKS TO GO!

In just three weeks, we'll be filling the streets with chili, music, booze, shopping, kids fun, food trucks, and more! Meet us at the 16th annual SoNo Fest & Chili Cook off on Sunday, December 7th from 11 am - 5 pm! 🎶

14/08/2025

Hello all you SoNo Fest lovers!!

If your merch from last year's SoNo Fest has seen better days, or you missed out on a cool piece, or you just want to stock up before they are gone for good... be sure to swing by McKinley after school this Friday, August 15th and get the gear!
3 pm
By the Yoga Statue
See you there!