Viva Cuba, a local beautification organization, celebrates 25 years of projects at this year’s Cuba Fest on Smith Street during the Oct. 17-18 celebration of family fun, crafts, food, music, and activities.

On Saturday, Oct. 17 at 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Viva Cuba events kick off with Crawford County Fair queens and their moms cooking up some royal chili for the 18th Annual Chili Cook-off. For $3, you can get a soft drink, taste all the chili recipes, and vote for your favorite. The winner will be “Queen of the Chili” for a year.

Some of the queenly chefs are Rockael Chaudhry, Jaclyn Gilliam, Carrie Macier, and Hannah Lea, with more to follow.

The annual narrated Trolley Tour of the Murals also takes place on Saturday, beginning at 11a.m. until the last tour, which ends around 4 p.m. The bright red, 1904-style trolley loads in the Recklein Commons area for the free tours. Each mural has its own story, and the tour is a great time to hear them. Tours last 30-40 minutes and are in great demand, so be sure to get your ticket and be ready to board.

Viva Cuba plans a small celebration of its 25 years of community support and special projects on Saturday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. There will be appetizers, wine, and 80s music, as well as a slide show of 25 years of Viva Cuba activities. The organization hopes that the public will share in this celebration in front of Recklein Auditorium.

A new event this year is the Sunday, October 18 “Echoes from the Past” Graveline Tour from 11 a.m. to the last tour, which ends around 4 p.m. The trolley loads every 45 minutes in the Recklein Commons area and travels by historical houses of the departed on the way to Kinder Cemetery. Tours are free, but donations will be accepted and used to continue the mural projects of Viva Cuba.

At the cemetery, various historical figures from Cuba’s past will tell their story to the trolley guests, as they wind their way through the cemetery. These tall tales from deep graves will make sure to bring truth to the quote, “We live as long as we are remembered.” Sunday’s “Echoes from the Past” cemetery tour promises to be an innovative Cuba Fest event, so get aboard for a fun and informative experience.

The Viva Cuba organization encourages everyone to come to Cuba Fest to share its many activities and the celebration of 25 years of beautifying Cuba.