Chili rivalry simmers at Bonita’s eighth birthday festival

This is an annual event that ran on 1-A of the News-Press. The story was reported and written under daily deadline.


Emerson Drive drew more than 10,000 fans to Riverside Park on Sunday as part of the eighth annual Celebrate Bonita Festival.


Unicyclist Wade Henry high-fives David Hall, 11, of Naples during the eighth annual Celebrate Bonita Festival at Riverside Park.


Tim, right, and Ben Bogacz size up one of their more than 50 slabs of ribs during the eighth annual Celebrate Bonita Festival, which included a chili and rib cook-off. The Bogaczes didn’t win the cook-off but it was the camaraderie of the day that keeps them coming back year after year.

Cooking chili and grilling ribs are a family affair for the Bogaczs of the Bonita Springs Fire Department.

Ted and Ben Bogacz fired up the grill Sunday and put their reputations on the line during the chili and rib cook-off at the eighth annual Celebrate Bonita Festival.

The competition was fierce, with cooks from around the state squaring off against their biggest rivals, the San Carlos Park Fire Department.

“We got the best because we are in Bonita, and we just cook better food than you know who,” said Bonita firefighter Wayne Bay, while pointing at the San Carlos Park firefighters. “It’s all in the flavor.”

The flavor is a guarded Bogacz family secret and has won the Bonita firehouse a few awards in the past five years.

“It’s all good fun, but these boys got me up early today to start grilling,” Bob Bogacz said.

The Bogaczs say their barbecue is finger-lickin’ good, but the San Carlos Park firefighters see it a little differently.

“If you want chili, go to the San Carlos tent .... If you want vegetable soup, visit Bonita,” John Nichols, 25, a San Carlos Park firefighter, shouted to passers-by as they decided which chili to buy.

Both firehouses decorated their tents with colorful decorations and, of course, fire hydrants. Cooking square-offs aside, both teams admitted the camaraderie and cause bring them together.

“We do it for the community, and this is a big event and there is a lot of recognition,” said Ernie Hand of the San Carlos Park Fire Department. “It’s great to be out here with these guys.”

To keep their minds off the competition, the firefighters sold more than 100 slabs of ribs and 50 gallons of chili to a crowd of more than 10,000 at Riverside Park, said city spokeswoman Arlene Houston.

The crowd ate, drank and partied the day away to big-name acts such as Emerson Drive and the Charlie Daniels Band.

“They are great. We came just for them, and we have been sitting out here in the sun waiting all day,” said Kris Reber, 29, of south Fort Myers.

Great was what the San Carlos Fire and Rescue guys felt at the end of the day when the judges awarded them the third-place prize for best chili. The group also won for best-decorated booth.

“We still feel it was a win. Bonita has a great chili, don’t get me wrong, but we just have a flavor that’s tough to beat,” Nichols said.

As for the Bonita Springs firefighters, well, they went home empty-handed. Bonita Bay Realty took the top prize.

The guys will return to chop, stir and cook another time, though.

“We will be back next year to claim the title back,” Tim Bogacz said, “but it’s nice to come out and be together. It’s all for fun.”