Morganton Downtown Development Association Supporter of "Brick & Mortar".

04/08/2026

Vote for your favorite businesses in each category! It’s super quick and easy!

📣 Morganton Community — We Need Your Vote!

The DDA Awards are coming up on May 28th, and it’s time to show some love to your favorite Downtown Local businesses! 🏆

Be sure to vote for your favorite businesses in all three categories—it only takes a few minutes, but it means so much to the shops, restaurants, and services that make our community shine. ❤️

✨ Winners in each category will be kept a secret until the evening of the awards ceremony on May 28th at the Morganton Community House! RSVP is required!

We encourage all nominees, along with your family and friends, to attend the celebration—so you’ll have a cheering section there to support you if you win! 🎉

👉 Cast your vote today and help us celebrate the best of downtown! https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KPH79ZQ

Thistle and Twig Flowers
Stitching Chicks Needlepoint
Gregory Jewelers
Garden Gate Floral & Events
Hamilton Williams Gallery & Studio
Debbie's Embroidery & Screen Printing
Toner's Irish Pub
The Madness - Sushi, Burger & Bar
Morganton Savings Bank
Craft'd-NC
Thornwell Books
Breathe Yoga & Wellness
Burke Arts Council
Historic Burke Foundation

Downtown Businesses be sure to push your nomination where people can see and then give you the love that you deserve!

03/06/2026

Exciting lineup! 1 week until the BIG event!

🔥 Just ONE WEEK until the hottest event the Morganton Morganton Downtown Development can handle! 🔥

ACC Chili Cookoff is back and bringing the heat—bold flavors, fierce competition, and plenty of spicy entertainment. 🌶️

Check out this year’s lineup of professional chili contenders ready to battle it out for bragging rights. A huge THANK YOU to all the teams brave enough to throw their chilis in the ring!
Moondog Pizza
Root & Vine Restaurant
Abeles Family Restaurant
Timberwoods
The Olive of Morganton
Black Box
Cranford Hospitality
Blue 42’s Burger Bar & Wingery
Pats Snack Bar
Limbertwig
Mimosa Hills
Morganton Community House

Now the countdown is on… ⏳
May the odds be ever in your flavor! 🌶️🔥🏆

Who’s ready to taste the heat next week? 😋

Want to grab your tickets online? SUPER! Here is the link https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/32nd-annual-acc-chili-cook-off

03/05/2026

1 week until the spiciest event of the season! The ACC Chili Cookoff is Friday, March 13th and it is going to be FIRE!

02/26/2026

Get those amateur chili forms in ASAP! We need your delicious chili :)

🌶🔥 Hear Ye, Hear Ye, Chili Champions! 🔥🌶

Do you guard a secret family chili recipe that’s been passed down for generations?
Have you crafted an award-winning chili that leaves judges speechless and competitors trembling?

Now’s your time to shine!

Join us on March 13th for the ultimate Chili Cook-Off Showdown — where bold flavors, secret spices, and legendary recipes battle it out for one thing…

🏆 BRAGGING RIGHTS! 🏆

That’s right — no ordinary prize can top the glory of being crowned Chili Champion. Whether your recipe is smoky, spicy, sweet, savory, or so hot it needs a warning label, we want YOU in the competition!

👩‍🍳👨‍🍳 All skill levels welcome
🌶 Family secrets encouraged
🔥 Award winners ready to defend your title? Bring it!

Dust off that recipe card, fire up your biggest pot, and get ready to stir up some friendly competition.

Submit your chili and claim your spot in chili history on March 13th!

Let the simmering begin… 😎🌶

Fill out the form below and submit to the Morganton Main Street Office - 112 B West Union!

May the odds be forever in your FLAVOR!

02/18/2026

A huge thank you to Mimosa Insurance for being such a fun and spicy Presenting Sponsor of this year’s ACC Chili Cook Off! 🌶️

Your energy, enthusiasm, and generous support helped turn up the heat and make this event unforgettable for our community. We’re so grateful for your partnership and for helping us bring the flavor, the fun, and the festivities to life. We couldn’t have done it without you!

02/17/2026

A carrot and a chili pepper walk into Food Matters Market!

The carrot says, “I’m just here to pick up something light.”
The chili pepper replies, “Speak for yourself — I’m here to spice things up.” 🌶️🥕

Thank you Food Matters for being a sponsor of the 2026 Chili Cook Off!

02/16/2026

Thank you to ALL of our incredible sponsors those who appeared and did not appear in the in downtown reel for the ACC Chiki Cookoff 🌶️

02/16/2026

Morganton Savings Bank is a terrific sponsor who always deposits our beans, when we ask them to!

Sponsors are the heartbeat of any successful event. What might feel like an impossible feat quickly becomes doable, exciting, and truly memorable thanks to their generous support. By trusting in our vision, sponsors provide the resources and tools needed to create the very best experience for the public. The ACC Chili Cook Off simply would not be possible without our caring and committed supporters!

02/14/2026

BOGO 50% off day passes at Bigfoot Climbing Gym ♥️

Saturday Feb 14th buy one day pass get one 50% off all day💕❤️♥️💕

02/14/2026

We won't be play coy/koi! We are extremely appreciative of Morganton Ponds & Hardscapes for being a sponsor for the 2026 ACC Chili Cook Off! They are amazing and we get along swimmingly!

Sponsors are the heartbeat of any successful event. What might feel like an impossible feat quickly becomes doable, exciting, and truly memorable thanks to their generous support. By trusting in our vision, sponsors provide the resources and tools needed to create the very best experience for the public. The ACC Chili Cook Off simply would not be possible without our caring and committed supporters!

07/11/2025

The Downtown Development Association held our DDA Awards last night at the Morganton Community House!

Winners were:
Picture Perfect - Benjamin's & Libba's
A DDA Member Business that goes above and beyond to create a welcoming, beautiful, and ever-evolving presence in our downtown!

The Cherry on Top - The Olive of Morganton
A DDA member business that goes above and beyond to serve our community with care, attention and genuine hospitality.

Breath of Fresh Air - West Union Art Studios
A DDA Member Business that has gone above and beyond in hosting engaging events or programs - where brand new or beloved annual traditions.

This year’s Lifetime Achievement Award went to the incredible greentumbed City of Morganton Grounds extraordinaire Jim Pless! The passion for his job is seen in the beauty of the Historic Courthouse Square, every beautiful flower, plant, planter, hanging basket and well manacured landscaping around intersections and sidewalks. He is a gift to our Downtown!

Thank you to everyone who voted and came out to celebrate our winners!

Congratulations to this year’s 2025 DDA Winners!