DC101 Chili Cook-Off Promises Spicy Chili & Hot Bands

The Offspring to Headline All-Day Festival

WASHINGTON, March 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2009, the DC101 Chili Cook-Off benefiting the National Kidney Foundation is DC's biggest one-day rock festival featuring top bands and dozens of the area's best chili cooks competing for top honors. The event is set for Saturday, May 16, 2009, from noon to 9:00 p.m. at RFK Stadium Festival Grounds.

For the past two years the event has sold out in advance signifying that tickets will go quickly this year when they go on sale on April 3. The stellar lineup of bands will play a big role in that. Musical acts include The Offspring, Third Eye Blind, Papa Roach, Puddle of Mudd, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, and the winner of DC101's "Last Band Standing Contest."

The Chili Cook-Off features a fierce competition between 101 chili cooks in four categories: Red Chili, Green Chili, Freestyle, and Salsa. The winner of the Red Chili category goes onto the International Chili Society World Championship in the fall. Among the celebrity judges will be Washington Redskins tight end Chris Cooley and safety Reed Doughty, whose son received a kidney transplant in March 2008.

DC101 Program Director Dave Wellington said, "Join DC101 and 30,000+ of our closest friends on May 16 for the quintessential D.C. start of summer event. The 2009 Chili Cook-Off stars The Offspring, Third Eye Blind, Papa Roach, Puddle of Mudd, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus & more. The RFK Stadium Festival Grounds will be packed with amazing music, activities, Food and FUN. DC101, our listeners, the bands and the National Kidney Foundation all come together for one special day to help so many in need."

Preston A. Englert, Jr., Division President of the National Kidney Foundation Serving the National Capital Area said, "We are proud to partner once again with DC101 on one of the biggest events in town. The Washington, D.C. metropolitan area leads the nation in the prevalence of chronic kidney disease, but through our early detection screening program we are truly affecting change in the health of our region. The Chili Cook-Off is a major fundraiser that helps make this program possible."

Growing in stature and gaining momentum every year, the DC101 Chili Cook-Off is one of the largest events of its kind in the nation. Last year's Cook-Off attracted 22,000 people and raised over $1 million dollars for the first time to support the National Kidney Foundation's programs in research, patient services, professional and public education, and organ donation awareness.

Tickets are $35 and go on sale April 3 at 10 a.m. through Ticketmaster. Tickets at the gate are $50. On May 16, participants are encouraged to take Metro to the Stadium/Armory Station on the Orange & Blue Lines.

SOURCE National Kidney Foundation