Brewfest tonight kicks off BBQ and bluegrass festival

WORLAND — Fourteen years and three awards later the Pepsi Wyoming State BBQ Championship and Bluegrass Festival kicks off tonight with the brewfest at the Washakie County Fairgrounds.

Event Coordinator and festival committee director Dave Paxton said the 12-member committee has been working for the past year to get ready for the 14th annual festival. This will be the second year the brewfest is part of the festival. The brewfest is used as a fundraiser to help support the barbecue and bluegrass festival.

This year’s brewfest features brewers from around the area who will each have three to four samples of different microbrews. Persons can sample all the brew they would like for a $20 entrance fee. There will be food concessions and other nonalcoholic drinks available.

Paxtons said Worland’s own Rattlesnake Ridge will provide the musical entertainment.

The fun runs from 5-9 p.m.

Paxton said thanks to Teton Distribution and Worland Senior Citizens Center, a free safe-ride home program will be offered again for those who may have too many samples.

BBQ

The main event begins Friday at the fairgrounds with the gates opening at 4 p.m. and opening ceremonies at 5:30 p.m. Rhea White will sing the national anthem.

The bluegrass music gets underway at 6 and continues to 9:30 p.m. The event ends at 10 p.m. (See related story on the bluegrass bands and schedule.)

There will be six barbecue food vendors selling food, in addition to wine from the Elks, beer from American Legion, desserts from St. Alban’s Episcopal Church and carnival-style food from O.W.L. Unlimited.

Food is purchased with “bone bucks” which are available at “banks” at the festival.

Saturday’s fun begins with the 5k run that is a fundraiser for the Worland High School cross-country team. Racing begins at 7:30 a.m.

A pancake breakfast fundraiser for the WHS cheerleaders runs from 8-9:30 a.m. in the concession area at the fairgrounds.

The Kids Q begins at 9:30 a.m. with youth grilling up burgers. Awards will be presented at 11 a.m.

A car show, this year under the direction of Sarah Bain, runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Paxton said an open jam session gets underway at 11 a.m. and the bluegrass bands take the stage at 12:30 p.m.

COMPETITION

The barbecue competition, a sanctioned Kansas City Barbecue Society contest, has 32 teams this year, the most in many years, Paxton said.

They will have cookers from Wyoming, Colorado, South Dakota, Utah and Oregon this year.

Last year’s winner, B-S BBQ Outlaws from South Dakota will be returning, along with runner up Smokin’ Hot Butts out of Casper.

The teams compete in the four KCBS events — chicken, brisket, ribs and pork —along with two festival events, mystery meat and sauce.

With 32 teams Paxton said he has enough certified judges but will need some extra table captains. Anyone interested can contact Paxton at 307-431-2755.

Paxton said the judging begins at noon. People’s choice sampling, for a $20 price, begins at 2:30 p.m. with people having the opportunity to sample from all 32 cooks.

Awards will be presented starting at 4:15 p.m.

The event ends at 10 p.m., Paxton said.

Along with music and food, Paxton said they again will have a kids entertainment area in the show-grass area at the fairgrounds including the National Guard inflatable obstacle course, facepainting, a dunking booth and a kiddie train.

The event has won the Rocky Mountain BBQ Association Event Organizer’s Challenge award three years including last year.