There'll be Smoke on the Water

COEUR d'ALENE - Nothing beats a barbecue on a hot August weekend, except for maybe 20 to 30 barbecues on a hot August weekend.

That's what Kim Stearns and Greg Prado are planning this summer on Aug. 23 and 24. They are organizing a professionally sanctioned barbecue competition called "Smoke on the Water at McEuen Park."

Prado, a board member of the Pacific Northwest Barbecue Association, said so far the prize pool is $5,000 spread across 26 prize categories.

"We may get more money than that," Prado said on Tuesday. "If we can get more sponsors behind this we could get it up to $10,000."

Entrants will compete in four official categories and cash prizes will be paid to the top six winners in each category. There will be cash prizes and trophies for grand champion and reserve grand champion, which is awarded to the top two teams based on cumulative scores.

Stearns said the event is a major fundraiser for the Panhandle Parks Foundation. Stearns is the executive director of the foundation.

"We hope to raise somewhere around $10,000 to purchase balls and other equipment for the kids to play with in the parks," she said.

The family event will have jumping castles and other things for kids to do. There will also be live music and a beer and wine garden for the adults.

"We want this to be an annual family event at McEuen," Stearns said. "Eventually we want to add stuff like hot-air balloon rides."

Stearns said they are still seeking sponsorships for the beer garden and music. They also have space for food, craft and political vendors.

Anyone interested in sponsorships or vending opportunities can contact Stearns at the Panhandle Parks Foundation.

Smoke on the Water is technically the second barbecue competition for the foundation, but the venue and level of competition has changed this year.

Last year, the event was held on Labor Day weekend at City Park but it competed with the Diamond Cup Hydroplane Races, and drew little public attention. It was not sanctioned and was more of a backyard style competition.

There was also a one-day PNWBA sanctioned competition at the North Idaho Fairgrounds in June. That event was called "Bikes, Brews & BBQs."

"That was also backyard competition but it wasn't a state championship," said Prado, whose team Brown Chicken Brown Cow placed 14th last year. "This year it is a sanctioned two-day state championship competition."

Because it is a state championship, Prado said the grand champion of the competition will get an invitation to the Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue competition in Lynchburg, Tenn. They will also get an invitation to The American Royal national BBQ competition in Kansas City, Mo.

In order to be a qualifying competition, all teams must cook pork ribs, pork shoulder, beef brisket and chicken. Each entry is judged for appearance, taste and texture. The rules and criteria can be found online at www.PNWBA.com.

Prado said organizers are considering a judging certification class, and a new team cooking class earlier in the summer to train judges and pitmasters.

"We are also encouraging new teams to contact us if they want to be mentored," he said. "Or if there is a backyard guy that simply wants to shadow a team to see what it is all about."

During the competition, teams set up their camps on Friday and start cooking that evening. The judging will begin around noon on Saturday.

Prado said most teams will spend the night cooking in the park. Some teams may hold cooking classes for spectators throughout both days of the event.

Organizers have put up a Facebook page called "Smoke on the Water at McEuen - Idaho State Championship BBQ Competition." Early-bird online registration for the event will be in place by the end of this week, Prado said.

For more information on competing or sponsoring the event, call Stearns at (208) 818-6922.