(Shenandoah) – Final preparations are underway for an annual barbecue competition in Shenandoah later this month.
The Shenandoah ShenDig BBQ Championship returns for its third year on July 19 and 20. Festivities kick off at 5 p.m. on Friday, July 19, with a taster’s choice of barbecue cook’s favorite dishes. Mace Hensen is a member of the Forum to Revitalize Shenandoah. Hensen told KMA News that the initial non-sanctioned competition will feature some of the less common barbecue foods prepared by teams competing in Saturday’s Kansas City Barbecue Society-sanctioned event.
“For the first 100 people through the gate, you’ll have to pay an extra $5, but you’ll get a couple of tickets and a Sugar Makery ‘magic spoon’ as your passport to tour and sample some of our competition teams’ not-so-ordinary barbecue dishes,” Hensen said. “So far, one of the things I’ve heard about is a bourbon-smoked bread pudding with maple glaze.”
Other dishes expected Friday night include pork loins and smoked biscuits. Friday night will also feature “NASCAR-style” presentations from the participating teams, which currently number 34, according to Hensen. He adds that tasting plates will also be served Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., with doors opening at 10 a.m.
“The first 400 people through the door will get a ticket and once we start serving these tasting platters, you can exchange your ticket for a platter,” Hensen explained. “It traditionally includes pulled pork, some ribs, some brisket and some sides. So it’s a little bit more than just a tasting platter.”
Several groups are also present to provide musical entertainment on both days, including Garrett and the Relics on Friday evening.
“They played at our Star Spangled Shenandoah event last year and had the crowd dancing all night and they’ll be our Friday night entertainment,” he said. “As soon as the team introductions are over, that band will come back and play until 10 p.m. this year. So we’re going to expand that a little bit and create a little more of a party atmosphere on Friday night.”
Also performing Saturday will be Shenandoah’s Gas N’ Grass and Omaha’s blues band Swamp Boys. Hensen made the comments on a recent edition of KMA’s “Morning Line.”
