Barbecue in the Park
The Greater Emporia BBQ Festival Starts Today
By Brandy Nance
Friday, August 10, 2007
There’s no shortage of things to do this weekend — barbecue, summer activities and even football.
Peter Pan Park will be hopping with The Greater Emporia BBQ Festival starting this afternoon. On Saturday, a state championship contest, sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue Society, will take place. The Grand Champion will take home $1,500 and the reserve grand champion gets $750.
The Emporia Community Theatre’s Mid-Summer Fair, which started earlier this week, includes games, activities and two productions at Peter Pan Park’s amphitheater. The CTE children’s performers will present “Puss in Boots” by Scott Rochat at 6 p.m. tonight and Saturday. Adult actors will perform a shortened version of Shakespeare’s “Taming of the Shrew” at about 7 p.m. Admission is free.
Tonight, the Peter Pan wading pool will remain open until 8 p.m. and a band will play from 8 to 11 p.m.
Among Saturday’s offerings are the Mid-Summer Activities from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and a car show at 9:30 a.m. The Reeble’s Community BBQ Lunch is from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The price of the lunch is $5 and meat will be cooked by some of the teams in the competition.
The Peter Pan Park Play Ground Committee is volunteering to help with the lunch. A portion of the luncheon proceeds will go to the Peter Pan Park Playground Fund.
At 11:30 a.m. Saturday, bands begin playing and judging of the barbecue starts at noon, followed by the awards ceremony at 4 p.m.
A Weber Genesis grill valued at $499 will be given away after the awards ceremony. Donations will be accepted for a shot at winning the grill.
New this year is a beer garden, which will run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. A valid ID must be presented and a wrist band will be issued.
Other events this weekend:
F The Kids 4 Arts Festival, which will feature school age kids’ work will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the Flinthills Mall.
F The Emporia State football team will hold its first official scrimmage of the season at 10 a.m. Saturday at Welch Stadium. First-year coach Garin Higgins is preparing his team for its first game Sept. 1 at Western (Colo.) State.