Riverside Park will come alive with the smell of smoked meats and the shine of classic chrome this weekend as the Iola Rotary Club hosts its annual Smokin’ Hot Cars and BBQ event.
This year’s celebration will feature a new twist as the Iola High School Underhogs BBQ team takes on the cooking responsibilities for the community feed.
The festivities kick off Friday as teams fire up their grills for the Tom Brigham Memorial BBQ, a Kansas City Barbecue Society-sanctioned event.
“This year, we have just under 30 teams signed up,” said Rotarian Judy Brigham, noting that more may still sign up. She added that the cooks are passionate competitors, many of whom travel and compete every weekend during the season.
The barbecue event is named after Brigham’s husband, Tom, founded Rotary’s barbecue cookoff.
Brigham died in 2021 from leukemia.
Judy Brigham said the cookoff “is a passion for the cooks.”
And for Rotary, it’s a monumental task.
“It requires a lot of hard work and dedication, requiring many feet on the ground,” said Brigham.
The result is that the competition has gained widespread recognition, including Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly proclaming it as a State Championship BBQ contest.
Brigham noted the popularity extends beyond the teams to the judges themselves.
“Even though the judges aren’t paid for their work, there were a total of 71 applicants for this year’s event.”
The contest will be judged in four categories: chicken, pork, ribs, and brisket.
Rotary members will host the competitors Friday evening with a taco dinner. Saturday morning’s fare will feature biscuits and gravy breakfast to fuel the big day ahead.
BEYOND THE barbecue, Saturday’s schedule includes the 17th Annual Neil Westervelt Memorial Car Show, honoring the former Rotary Club president.
Westervelt had been instrumental in starting and perpetuating the club’s annual car show.
Registration runs from 8 to 11 a.m., and all cars, trucks, and motorcycles are welcome for a $20 donation.
