The Ceres Chamber of Commerce is bringing back the annual Bands, Brews & BBQ Throw Down after a five-year hiatus – and tp a new venue.
An amateur BBQ event will take place on Saturday, Aug. 19 at George Costa Fields in Smyrna Park, 2113 Rose Avenue, Ceres. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and feature live music by Greg Scudder and the Honky Tonk Heroes, Lavonne & the Train Wreck and Remedy, food vendors, drinks, commercial vendors, arts and crafts vendors, raffle prizes and kids activities.
Competitors will be barbecuing for prizes in two categories: Best in Ribs and Best in Chicken.
Unlike in 2016 and 2017, this event will not be sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue Society, said organizer Renee Ledbetter, noting it will be an Amateur of California Barbecue Association “considering we’re starting all over again.” The professional event drew about 35 barbecue teams but going amateur will mean a small event.
“It will probably bring in – we’re hoping – anywhere between 10 to 15 competitors whereas the pro event brought in 36 competitors,” said Ledbetter.
A number of factors weighed into whether the event being amateur over professional.
“Primarily the pro competitors come in with big-rigs and trailers and things like that and this year we’re holding the event at Costa Fields and we can’t disrupt the baseball fields with heavy trailers sitting on them. It’s going to be on the large fields.”
A rib eating contest will be held as well as an amateur barbecue pit master competition in the categories of chicken and ribs and public rib tasting cook-off.
The event was held in 2014 through 2017 but cancelled in 2018 after Ledbetter suffered a severe leg break. She attempted to bring back the event in 2019 but at the time the Chamber was short staffed when it “really takes all hands on deck for this festival.” The COVID pandemic nixed any chance for the event in 2020 and 2021.
Admission costs, if bought online, are $10 per adult and $5 for children up at age. Tickets are available at ceresbandsbrewsbbq.eventbrite.com
On the day of the event, tickets bought at the gate will jump from $13 per adult and $7 per child.
The Chamber will also be selling tickets for the public rib tasting competition. Tickets will be $2 each which entitles the bearer to one rib to eat and judge.
“I won’t know how many rib tickets we’re going to offer until I know how many competitors we have because each of them are required to cook 20 racks of ribs for us.
Draft beer will be sold by local craft brewers including Five Eye Brewing, Blaker Brewing and domestic beers also on tap.
Applications for amateur barbecuers are available on the website ceresbandsbrewsbbq.com with early bird rates ending July 31.
The city of Ceres is a co-sponsor of the event. The Ceres City Council recently allocated $10,000 to underwrite the costs of the festival.
“We hope the community throws their support behind this event. Obviously it’s events like these that help generate the revenue for the Chamber to help us keep doors open and for us to offer programs and services to the business community.”
