Blues & Barbecue part of Beef Fest
By Bobbi Mlynar (Contact)
Originally published 03:04 p.m., July 7, 2008
Updated 03:04 p.m., July 7, 2008
The Flint Hills Beef Fest Blues & Barbecue will continue for its ninth year as part of the annual Flint Hills Beef Fest celebration, according to an announcement from organizers.
The recent cancellation of the 2008 Greater Emporia BBQ Festival left some people with the impression that there would be no barbecue competition in town this summer, but Blues & Barbecue will not be affected.
The competition and the music are only a part of Beef Fest activities.
“It’s a festival atmosphere out there, and I really think we have something for everyone,” said Joe Michaels, who with Janel Wiederholt is co-chairperson for the barbecue competition. “We’ve got tons of stuff going on at the fairgrounds.”
He expects approximately 35 barbecue teams to participate in the contest.
Michaels also serves on the Beef Fest committee.
The event originally was organized by an Emporian who since has moved from the area.
“I know it was the brainchild of Pres White, who was a local veterinarian,” Michaels said. “He wanted a festival to celebrate the grass cattle industry, and that’s really how Beef Fest kind of got started 22 years ago.”
The barbecue competition and other activities were added later.
The two-day competition, sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue Society, is scheduled on Aug. 15 and 16 at the Lyon County Fairgrounds.
Check-in and inspection will begin at 9 a.m. on Friday, the 15th, and judging will take place in the early afternoon the next day, with prize money, totaling $6,000, and ribbons awarded at approximately 2:30 p.m.
Competitions will be held in six categories: chicken, pork ribs, pork butts, beef brisket, miscellaneous beef, and sausage.
The entry fee is $35 per category or $150 for all six categories.
Live music will be provided Friday night by Johnny Night and the Crawlers.
“Really, kind of the celebration of the barbecue cookoff will get started when the band starts around 8 o’clock,” Michaels said. “Some of them are local guys who were born and raised in Emporia and now live in the Kansas City area. They were thrilled to be able to come back to Emporia to play.”
The two-day festival will have diverse activities and offerings, Michaels said.
In addition to barbecue competition registration, a live radio broadcast, breakfast and agriculture issues seminar are planned during the day on Friday, the 15th. A ranch feed and ranch rodeo will be held in the evening.
Cattle judging, the core of the festival for many, will be held at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 16, at Emporia Livestock Sales.
Back at the fairgrounds, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Orear Welsh Ponies will offer pony-cart rides. A ranch horse competition, kids’ tractor pull, barbecue judging, and cow chip toss and catch contest also are planned that day, with a ranch rodeo and the band planned for the evening’s entertainment.
“It kind of gets to be a three-ring circus out there,” he said, “we try to have so much stuff going on.”
Lyon County 4-H Ambassadors will sell tickets for a drawing to win a Goodwin smoker, with proceeds going to the 4-H organization, and other 4-Hers will sell concessions.
“We also have a hamburger feed on Saturday from 11 to 1, and it’s free while they last,” he said. “The folks from KVOE graciously come out every year and help cook up all those hamburgers — 1,000 of them — and there’s no charge for that.”
Vendors will offer primarily ag-related products on the south side of the Anderson building, and other items such as barbecue sauces will be available for sale.
Most of the activities are free and open to the public.
The steak dinner and entertainment Saturday night will cost $30 per person, and will include an appearance by comedian Vic Henley, followed by music by the Heath Delaney Band.
Henley has appeared on Blue Collar Radio, MTV, CBS, VH1, Late Night with David Letterman, and with Jeff Foxworthy, Michaels said, and also has a special filmed for the Comedy Central channel.
The committee hopes to draw a broad assortment of people from the region to enjoy the entertainment, but it wants those who attend to be educated, too.
“That’s the whole idea, is to get people out there, educate people about beef and the beef industry. That’s our whole goal. ...
“I’d like to say ‘good, clean fun,” Michaels said, “but I don’t know about that cow chip toss.”
For entry information, contact Gail Fuller at 344-3363 or fullerfarms@hotmail.com, or Joe Michaels at 343-0538 or cableku@cableone.net. Registration forms may be printed from the organization’s Web site, beeffest.com.
Tickets should be purchased in advance because they normally are sold out and not available at the door, Michaels said.
Tickets are available at Emporia Veterinary Hospital, Jim’s Cowboy Shop and Frontier Farm Credit.
Comments
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Posted by rdgrey (anonymous) on July 8, 2008 at 3:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Does this mean I have to smell the stinch of meat cooking in a device designed to burn a coal product that emits carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and could involve a risk to my respiratory system? Or put up with the mooing of cows past 10:00 pm when I need to get my sleep? I will not discuss their exhaust fumes. Need I mention the country music that will be played that is often accompanied by the drinking of alcoholic beverages. Sounds like a good time to me, BE THERE.
Posted by MelissaE (anonymous) on July 8, 2008 at 4:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Wow, rdgrey! Way to insult your entire state--you know, Kansas = beef and the like.
I suggest you find a bubble to live in until it's over.
I'm sort of shocked that you would be so offensive to so many people about a product (beef) that is from your town and state.
Maybe we should shut down all the 4-h clubs and FFA and everything else just so you don't have to smell cows. Move to New York City if you hate it so much.
Posted by siamesefred (anonymous) on July 8, 2008 at 4:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Hey, Melissa. I took rdgrey as being tongue-in-cheek. Guess I could be wrong.
Posted by MelissaE (anonymous) on July 8, 2008 at 7:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I could be wrong as well. We'll have to see, I guess.
Posted by rdgrey (anonymous) on July 8, 2008 at 10:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
LOL I guess you did take it wrong, I did mean I would be there and does sound like fun. I was making some pun on those that do not want ANYTHING in this town because of the little things that might inconvenience them from the standard 8-5 and bed at 10. Just trying to bring a smile sorry if you took it wrong but thought the last part of the message was to make it clear. I LOVE BBQ and the exhaust of a good cow :-P
Posted by sunshine (anonymous) on July 8, 2008 at 11:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Sounds to me like your up for a good ol' time rdgrey....I may have to take you up on that coffee offer and some BBQ too. ;-)
I think it sounds like a fun place to be and I'm pleased that there will be some fun in Emporia.
Posted by rdgrey (anonymous) on July 8, 2008 at 11:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
WOW is it possible to get a date on one of these comment sections? I feel as though I already know you :-D
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