MADISON – In baseball, when someone brings smoke, it’s usually a pitcher’s fast ball.
This summer, the Rocket City Trash Pandas will be bringing the smoke – but in a delicious way.
In August, the Minor League Baseball team will host the Smoke In The Outfield BBQ Festival. Toyota Field will transform into a barbecue lovers paradise Aug. 4-5 with Kansas City Barbecue Society-sanctioned competitions.
The festival will pit amateur cook teams against one another in chicken, ribs, and pork categories. Teams can sign up for the Kansas City Barbecue Society-sanctioned competitions here, at a cost of $150 per team.
The event starts cooking Aug. 4 with the VIP Opening Night Celebration. The cook teams and their specialties will be introduced as they prepare the next day’s competition.
Activities include live music, face painting, balloon animals, outdoor games, and a mechanical bull. Food and beverages will be available for purchase, including pulled pork, beef brisket, smoked turkey, and specialty drinks.
The festival begins at noon Aug. 5 with more live entertainment, games on the concourse, local vendors, and of course, the barbecue stations where guests can sample and/or purchase their favorite foods. Tickets go on sale today. For information, click here.
Judges begin critiquing the competitors’ food noon with chicken; ribs at 12:30; and pork at 1 p.m. People’s Choice sampling will begin at 1:30 p.m. for guests who have purchased special sampling tickets. The event ends at 5 p.m.
The first-place overall winner will receive a guaranteed $1,500 cash prize. Second place will receive $1,000. Cash prizes will be presented for the top three winners in each of the specific categories as well. All cook teams will need to provide their own electricity; water will be provided.
The Kansas City Barbecue Society is the top sanctioning body for barbecue food sports. Throughout the two-day festival, guests will be able to learn more about the sport of barbecuing and the techniques used by the professionals.
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