Nebraska City Tourism and Commerce has organized the first Good Wood Barbecue Challenge as part of an event weekend that includes the annual Lemon Days sales event and Wine Under the Pines.
The Avenue Grill and Lady Bug BBQ of Nebraska City and Smokestack Bar-B-Q of Bellevue are scheduled to compete from noon to 7 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 7, at Kimmel Orchard.
Barbecue cook Tom Ross, who opened LadyBug BBQ on South 11th Street in November, said he and NCTC will be wading through their first contest.
“I’m a member of the chamber and if I can help get something started I will certainly give it a shot,” Ross said.
Rose Ralstin of NCTC said she hopes the contest will grow each year to become a fun community activity and tourism draw. She said the community responded well to barbecues held for Arbor Day, but the weather rarely cooperated.
Moving a barbecue event to coincide with Wine Under the Pines, Lemon Days and the Sidney Iowa Championship Rodeo is a way to attract more people to town and encourage Nebraska City residents to enjoy the day out.
“Barbecue is something that is becoming very popular across the United States and we want people to think Nebraska City is a place to go,” Ralstin said.
Smokestack and the Avenue Grill will also be entering its first contest.
Chris Williamson, Smokestack pitmaster, said he head about the contest when he called NCTC about coming to the AppleJack Festival.
He started his business this summer and recently served at Papillion Days, but this will be his first actual competition.
“It sounds like a good event to do,” he said.
For $5 people receive a coupon and a sample of ribs cooked by each competitor. People may participate in the contest or order a meal without going into the fenced Wine Under the Pines area.
Coupons returned to a cooker will be counted to determine points for the people’s choice award. Those points will be added to the judging panel results to name a winner.
Ross said he used to the customer feedback, saying people keep buying his barbecue ribs and prime rib. “It’s the best voting procedure I’ve ever heard of,” he said.
He said catering and cooking for his take-out customers is different than a competition, however. He compared it to the difference between trap shooting and upland game bird hunting.
“They both use shotguns, but it’s an entirely different ballgame,” he said.
The winner will receive the right to be the exclusive food vendor for the Nebraska City Community Foundation street dance on Saturday, Aug. 21.
The Lemon Days event runs Aug. 5-7 and includes sidewalk sales and one-day shopping rewards program on Saturday.
Scheduled to compete in the lemonade stand contest are Youth and Adults in Action, Boy Scouts and Reidy Family at the Sewing Basket.
