Liz Eilf is ahead of special events at the Lehigh Spring Festival.

One of the highlights of the Lehigh Acres Spring Festival, which begins March 20 and continues to March 28, is the list of festival contests.

Liz Eilf is again this year overseeing the many contests that will take place over the week-long festival.

“Every year we have a Best Chili in Lehigh Contest and this year is no different” Eilf said. “Get out your family recipes and make up the best chili you can and bring in on down for our judges to taste. The Best Chili of Lehigh Contest will be Wednesday from 6 to 7 p.m. followed by cakes and cookies which will be judged at the same time.

“You can dig into your favorite recipe box and find some really good old recipes for cakes and cookies. The judges are looking forward to some great cooking from Lehigh cooks, both male and female,” she said.

Eilf said the first contest will be on Saturday, March 21 at noon when the annual Pet Show is held. It will be at the pavilion near the pond in the rear of Veterans Park.

All other contests will be held this year in the new Activities Tent, which will be set up across from the main outside stage.

“We’ll have plenty of room for people. I think everyone will love having most of the contests there instead at the pavilion on the lake,” she aid.

“We don’t care what kind of pet you have, just bring it down and let the judges take a look at it. We have had pet pigs, snakes, rabbits in addition to cats and dogs,” Eilf laughed.

Then on Monday, March 23 competition will be held at 6 p.m. for sewing, needlework and quilting at the Activities Tent.

“This is always an interest part of our contests because we have some great people in Lehigh who can make some beautiful quilts and needlework. We have had men enter over the years and win some of the ribbons,” Eilf said. Judging will be at 7 p.m., but you need to have your entries there by 6 p.m.

On Tuesday, March 24, bring in your crafts, your woodworking projects and your pieces of ar that you’ve done. Eilf said this is also one of the more popular parts of the competition. Judging will be at 7 p.m., but you must have your items there an hour before.

On Wednesday, March 25 comes the judges of the best chili in Lehigh and cakes and cookies competition.

“Like I said, this is the time to really go to work and fix up some really good chili that will make our judges shout for joy,” Eilf laughed.

The contests come to an end on Thursday, March 26 with the judging of plants and vegetables, also at the Activities Tent.

“This is the time to bring in those beautiful plants you have raised and any vegetables you raised in your garden or inside. Bring them in at 6 and the judging starts at 7 p.m.

The public is encouraged to attend each night’s activities and root for their favorite entries.

In years past, these contests have been one of the more popular events of the Spring Festival. And Eilf would like to see it come back with a lot of people entering their pets, and other projects.

“I want to see who wins the best chili in Lehigh contest though. That is always a popular one,” she said.

“And usually after the contest is over, the person who wins and even the others, will let you dip up some chili and give it a taste,” she said.

What’s so good about the Activities Tent being where it is this year is that you can see and hear the activities on the big outside stage and you’re close to all the rides and everything else going on.