Lovewell State Park will hold its final special event of the season, a Chili Cook-off and 3-D archery shoot, on Sunday, Sept. 9.

Participants will register for the archery shoot from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., and shooting will be completed by noon, with competition in divisions for men, women, and youth, with prizes awarded in each division. A $10 donation is suggested to enter.

This will be followed by a “steel deer” competition — shooting at a steel deer silhouette with a hole in it — at noon. A $5 donation is suggested for this event. Prizes will be awarded for the first-, second-, and third-place shooters overall.

The chili cookoff will be held at the Lovewell Marina area. Chili cookers must register no later than 10 a.m. at the park office. The first 100 people who contribute $5 for a taste-testing ticket will be judges. Donations will be used for prizes at Lovewell State Park’s special events throughout the year. Judging tickets will be available at the cookoff area beginning at 12:30 p.m., and judging will start at 1 p.m. and end by 1:30 p.m. Prizes will be awarded for the first-, second-, and third-place entries, by popular vote.

For more information, phone Lovewell State Park at 785-753-4971. Sunday is also a Free Park Entrance Day at Lovewell State Park. Vehicle permits are not required to enter the state park on that day, but camping permits are still required if camping overnight.

Image courtesy Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism