Upcoming Events

Upcoming Events  Feb 1—Home Depot Kid’s Workshop, 8-12, Home Depot on Western  Feb. 8—Story Bridge, 8-12, Amarillo Snak Pak Building  Feb. 10,11—Snak Pak 4 Kids, 4-5:30, on I-27 behind Texas building  Feb. 12—Ronald McDonald House, 5-6:30 at Apartments  Gene Howe Folders every Monday  Washington Family Service Center every 1st and 3rd Thursday

Don’t forget meetings every Monday during Flex!

By Alyvia Esquibel

Amarillo is a place of tradition. From rodeos to hockey to Yellow City Comic Con, the people of the Panhandle’s biggest city show out to continue the customs that have defined it for so long. And, of course, the Big Cheese S’mac’kdown , held annually on the fourth Friday of January, is no exception. This festival brings in people from as far as Texline and Perryton to have the privilege of tasting unparalleled mac and cheese. The Big Cheese is hosted by The Hope and Healing Place, which provides no cost support groups for those grieving the death of a loved one. The annual macaroni and cheese cook-off is the non-profit agency’s largest fundraiser serves comfort food to support the goal of comforting those grieving the loss of a loved one. Twenty-five dollars would get you in the doors of the Rex Baxter building at the Tri-State Fairgrounds, where the event was held. If you were feeling fancy (or hungry earlier in the evening), VIP tickets were also available. VIP guests were let in at 5:45, fifteen minutes before the event officially began, and were given the advantage of being the first in line to experience the marvelous macaroni of the twenty-five groups that were competing. At six pm sharp the rest of the guests were let in and the place became a true madhouse. There was nothing quite as, well, Amarilloan as watching four hundred hungry Texans devour endless sample cups of mac of all flavors, from dishes bathed in barbeque sauce to chunks of sausage and ham being among the noodles. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming and always loud, showcasing the personality of the Yellow City, and on multiple occasions I was thanked profusely for the work I was doing (which was nothing special, as I was simply clearing off trash from the tables, but it was generous all the same). The point of this event was to determine the best macaroni in the Amarillo area-the best of the best, the “Big Cheese.” The guests took samples from each table and taste-tested each one. At the end of their deliciously carb-filled meal, each person would take the ticket they received at the door and place it in the box of the group they thought was the best. At the end of the night, five winners would be announced, one for each of five categories: People’s Choice, Judges’ Choice, Kids’ Choice, the BIG Cheese, and Teens’ Choice. The last category was chosen from the four high school groups that were competing at the event.

The food was exemplary, as expected, and the servers at each table were kind and welcoming, if not downright jolly. They were enthusiastic in their presentation and friendly in their small talk. The United Supermarkets workers cheered every time someone put a ticket in their box and the men of Pork ’n’ Things joyfully announced and reannounced their feats from the previous year, which included being the winner of the People’s Choice category. Some groups served desserts, though most simply offered their macaroni. There were games and booths set up throughout the room that offered a reprieve from the alarming amount of carbs that each person was consuming, including the Happy State Bank Kids Korner. This was the area in which the Randall Key Club was working. The Kids Korner included face-painting, coloring, and macaroni-related crafts that were completed using dyed noodles of all varieties. Despite many of the Club members’ lack of artistic ability, the Kids Korner was a big hit.

At the end of the night, after the face paint was gone and and the tablecloths were cheesed beyond recognition, the remaining guests and the Big Cheese hopefuls gathered to hear the announcement of the winners. United took the title of the BIG Cheese, and Dimmitt and Pork ‘n’ Things defended their titles of Teens’ Choice and People’s Choice, respectively. Kids’ Choice went to Chick-Fil-A, and Judges’ Choice was , to everyone’s surprise, Cracker Barrel. As the night wound down and congratulations were given freely, everyone left the Big Cheese feeling full, satisfied, and distinctly Amarilloan.