Hello BBQ Gang! Here's what's going on in the world of the Illinois BBQ Society... ~ Certified BBQ Judge's Class Filling Up ~ Kewanee Hog Days Festival ~ ILBBQS Featured to be Featured on Southern Illinois Radio Station ~ Upcoming Non-Sanctioned/Backyard Contests... ~ Upcoming KCBS Contests... ~ Upcoming Classes... x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x This eNewsletter brought to you by: Hogs-N-Heat Competition Team For Sale: A custom-made (Avesco) off-set, trailered BBQ smoker. Used by John Stevenson, of the award winning Hogs-N-Heat BBQ team from Illinois, this smoker features a reverse draft system and is only being sold to make room for another new smoker. For complete photo gallery featuring the smoker during the building process to current, visit http://johnastevenson.tripod.com/offsetbbqpitforsale . Online: http://johnastevenson.tripod.com/offsetbbqpitforsale x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x Certified BBQ Judge's Class Filling Up Hot on the heels of another successful Certified BBQ Judge (CBJ) Class, put on my KCBS President (and ILBBQS Member) Mike Lake, the Mt. Vernon CBJ Class is filling up fast! Troy Heitmeyer, organizer for the King City BBQ Showdown, has told us that there has been a lot of interest in the CBJ class. Expectations are that it will fill up before the April 19th class time; so if you're on the fence, or have decided to go but have yet to get your application sent in, please do so ASAP. This is the last scheduled CBJ class for the year in Illinois and promises to be another outstanding event. In connection with the CBJ class, Mike Lake will also be putting on a Certified Table Captain's class in Mt. Vernon on April 18th. For information and application to either of these classes, check out the 'BBQ Classes' link at the top of the ILBBQS.com website. *************************************** Kewanee Hog Days Festival Sunday, August 31st will mark the big day in Kewanee as the Annual Hog Days continues full swing with carnival, concessions, and good times. Janie Metscaviz, organizer, has announce the return of the popular Pork Cook-Off, and says, "We will be having it right in the mist of the carnival, in the People's Bank parking lot.  There will be three categories, ribs, roast and miscellaneous. We will be giving away $250 for first place in each categories, with trophies and commemorative aprons going to the second and third place winners. We also have an overall winner which will receive a traveling trophy. Starting time to set up is 7:00 a.m. till noon and judging will be done around 3:00 p.m. There will also be a 50/50 raffle. People can go to our website at www.kewaneehogdays.com to check things out or they can call me at 309.856.6160 or email me at mtscvz@yahoo.com." Looks like it'll be a lot of fun!  Be sure to contact Janie for more information! *************************************** ILBBQS Featured to be Featured on Southern Illinois Radio Station The radio station is WCXO 96.7 in Carlyle, Illinois. The show, Lifesigns, is set to air on Saturday, March 15 at 9am. The topic...BARBEQUE! This weekly health talk-show is hosted by BBQ enthusiast Dr. Marc Smith of Breese, Illinois. Dr. Smith is the chief cook and bottle washer for Iron Pig BBQ, has competed in a few backyard events and even took 5th place overall in his KCBS debut last September at the Salem, Illinois contest. Taping for the show is scheduled for Thursday, March 13th...if you have anything BBQ related that would make for good conversation on the show, please let us know ASAP! *************************************** Upcoming 2008 Non-Sanctioned/Backyard Contests... (All info & web addresses are posted on http://www.ILBBQS.com -> Contests/Events) ~ May 24-25, 2008 - Nashville Lion's Club MaiFest - Contact: Rodney Small, Post Office Box 27, Nashville, IL 62263 - Phone: 618-327-3224 Fax: 618-327-8479 - E-mail: drsmall@accessus.net ~ June 14, 2008 - 4th Annual Smokin' in the Park - Contact: Hap & Becky Zook at 309-266-5078 or Jim & Anita Allen at 309-962-9388 - E-mail: bjzook@verizon.net or jaallen@msn.com ~ June 28, 2008 - 2nd Annual Galesburg Railroad Days Jaycees Rib Cook-Off - Contact: Sherry M. Kincaid - E-mail: ribcookoff@galesburgjaycees.org ~ August 31, 2008 - Kewanee Hog Days - Contact: Janie Metscaviz - Phone: 309-856-6160 - E-mail: mtscvz@yahoo.com ~ October 12, 2008 - TENTATIVE - Maschhoff's Pork Farm Backyard BBQ Cook-Off - Contact: Julie Maschhoff, 7475 State Route 127, Carlyle, IL 62231 - Phone: 618-594-2125 - E-mail: juliem@pigsrus.net ~ October 17-18, 2008 - Barn Burner BBQ @ Lamb's Farm - Contact: Claudia Stevens, 14245 W. Rockland Rd, Libertyville, IL 60048 - Phone: 847-990-3750 ~ Fax: 847-362-0742 - E-mail: crs@lambsfarm.org *THIS CONTEST IS PENDING KCBS SANCTIONING* *************************************** Upcoming 2008 KCBS Contests... (All info & web addresses are posted on http://www.ILBBQS.com -> Contests/Events) ~ March 28-29, 2008 - 2008 Kick-Off Cook-Off Classic in Hazelwood, Missouri - Contact: Greg Wilkinson - Phone: (314) 955-1104 - Online: http://www.BBQSauceReport.com - E-mail: gawilk@swbell.net ~ May 2-3, 2008 - Southwestern Illinois Spring Festival in Wamac, Illinois - Contact: Shane Swartzlander - Phone: (618) 533-5703 ~ Fax: - Online: http://www.gocentralia.com/springfestival - E-mail: 2chubby@sbcglobal.net ~ May 9-10, 2008 - CANCELLED - Dust Off Your Grill Backyard BBQ Cook-Off - Contact: Patty Peterson, 1000 Health Center Drive, Mattoon, IL 61938. - Phone: 217-258-2424 ~ Fax: 217-258-4135. - E-mail: ppeterson@sblhs.org ~ May 16-17, 2008 - The Randolph County Pig Party - Contact: Jason Vallett, 402 E. Broadway, Steeleville, IL 62288. - Phone: 618-965-3414 ~ Fax: 618-965-3177 - Email: jason@gregvallettautosales.com ~ May 24-25, 2008 - Red, White & Bar-B-Q - Contact: Jim Addington, 337 E. Traube Street, Westmont, IL 60559 - Phone: 630-443-2013 Fax: 630.443-2017 - E-mail: jaddington@ambankqc.com ~ June 13-14, 2008 - King City BBQ Showdown - Contact: Troy Heitmeyer, 104 N. 9th Street, Mt. Vernon, IL 62864 - Phone: 618-242-4020 x 15 ~ Fax: 618-242-3383 - E-mail: troy@cmacsoft.com ~ June 13-14, 2008 - Elk Grove Rotary Ribfest - Contact: Ron Nunes, 701 E. Irving Park Rd, Ste. 200, Roselle, IL 60172 - Phone: 630-307-8744 ~ Fax: 630-307-8755 - E-mail: rnunes9457@aol.com ~ July 11-12, 2008 - Illinois State Championship & Butt to Butt Pork Invitational - Contact: Connie Smith, 301 E. Sunrise Drive, Shannon, IL 61078 - Phone: 816-864-2542 ~ Fax: 815-864-2825 - E-mail: rrribs@frontiernet.net ~ September 12-13, 2008 - The BBQ Throwdown & Jam - Contact: Jim Reincke, PO Box 924, Salem, IL 62881 - Phone: 618-407-3300 ~ E-mail: bbqthrowdown@gosalem.com ~ September 19-20, 2008 - - Carbondale Main Street Pig Out - Contact: Meghan Cole, 121 S. Illinois Avenue, Carbondale, IL 62901 - Phone: 618-529-8040 ~ Fax: 618-529-8041 - E-mail: info@carbondalemainstreet.com ~ October 10-11, 2008 - Central Illinois Bragging Rights - Contact: George Fritz, 136 S. Vine Street, Arthur, IL 61911 - Phone: 217-543-2181 - E-mail: bbq@arthuril.com *************************************** Upcoming Classes... (All info posted on http://www.ILBBQS.com -> BBQ Classes) ~ Certified Table Captain’s Class: Arthur, Illinois - 03/07/2008 - Instructor: Mike Lake - Website: http://www.CIBR-BBQ.com - Contact Information: George Fritz ~ Phone: 217-543-2181 ~ bbq@arthuril.com ~ Certified BBQ Judging Class: Arthur, Illinois - 03/08/2008 - Instructor: Mike Lake - Website: http://www.CIBR-BBQ.com - Contact Information: George Fritz ~ Phone: 217-543-2181 ~ bbq@arthuril.com ~ Certified Table Captain’s Class: Mount Vernon, Illinois - 04/18/2008 - Instructor: Mike Lake - Website: http://www.SouthernIllinois.com - Contact Information: Troy Heitmeyer ~ Phone: 618-242-4020 x 15 ~ troy@cmacsoft.com ~ Certified BBQ Judging Class: Mount Vernon, Illinois - 04/19/2008 - Instructor: Mike Lake - Website: http://www.SouthernIllinois.com - Contact Information: Troy Heitmeyer ~ Phone: 618-242-4020 x 15 ~ troy@cmacsoft.com *************************************** Upcoming BBQ Cooking Classes... (All info posted on http://www.ILBBQS.com -> BBQ Classes) ~ Shannon, Illinois - 4/4/08 thru 4/5/08 - Old School vs. High Tech BBQ Cooking Class - Instructors: Johnny Trigg & Rod Gray - Location: Eastland Middle School ~ 601 Chestnut Street ~ Contact Information: Rod Gray ~ rod@pelletenvy.com *************************************** If you have a BBQ related news item you would like to share with the group, be sure to send it in! There is an easy-to-use 'Submit News' button on our website at http://www.ILBBQS.com ...use it often! As always, if you have any pictures, stories, news items, comments, suggestions, questions, or ideas, let me know! Well folks, that's gonna do it for this year's news and updates. I hope you have a most wonderful, and safe, New Year! I'm looking forward to seeing a lot more of you down the BBQ trail of 2008! Carpe 'Que, Jim Rhino