Hello BBQ Gang! Here's what's going on in the world of the Illinois BBQ Society... ~ 1st Annual Southwestern Illinois Spring Festival Wrap-Up ~ Hello ILBBQS BBQ Enthusiast! ~ 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: St. Jacob, Illinois Gearing up for "On Your Mark! Get Set! BBQ!" The Village of St. Jacob, Illinois is sponsoring a non-sanctioned BBQ Contest that will be following KCBS rules. This first year event, set for June 7th & 8th (a Saturday/Sunday contest), is sure to draw a lot of interest from both South Central Illinois as well as the Metro St. Louis area. Entry fee is only $100 and includes free ice, water, electricity, and applicable permits for those who would like to sell their BBQ to the public. Live Entertainment and beverage vendors will be on hand to add a little more excitement to the overall event. For those interested in competing, here's the prize breakdown... $500 - Grand Champion; $250 - Reserve Grand Champion; and each of the KCBS categories will receive 1st Place - 100; 2nd Place - $50; and 3rd Place - $25. For additional information, visit the Contest/Events page; their website at www.stjacobil.com; or call Dawn at 618-644-5666. x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x 1st Annual Southwestern Illinois Spring Festival Wrap-Up Complete success! That's what contest organizer (and BBQ cook) Shane Swartzlander of Chubby's BBQ is saying about this first ever event held as a fundraiser for local Wamac, Illinois organizations. Don't just take his word for it though...the city's Mayor, Butch Mathis and Council Woman, Vicky Rogers are so excited about this year's success that they're already planning for 2009! Cooks from 4 states attended this first year contest, the first KCBS sanctioned event in Illinois for the year, and rave reviews have come from all states. If that isn't enough, check out the standings (listed below) and take note of all the ILBBQS members who not only supported this charitable event, but had calls! Overall 1. All Day Smoke 2. Ulcer Acres 3. Show me your bones 4. Quau 5. Great Lakes BBQ Feed Co. 6. Smokin T's 7. Bandit BBQ 8. Smokey Joel / Cubby Bear 9. Hogs N Heat 10 Roosters Rib Runners Chicken 1. Great Lakes BBQ Feed Co. 2. Ulcer Acres 3. Bandit BBQ 4. All Day Smoke 5. Smokin T's 6. Hogs N Heat 7. It's 5 O'clock Somewhere 8. Show my your bones 9. Quau 10. Its Swine O'clock Somewhere Pork Ribs 1. Show me your bones 2. All Day Smoke 3. Smokey Joel / Cubby Bear 4. Bandit BBQ 5. Hogs N Heat 6. Great Lakes BBQ Feed Co. 7. Quau 8. Ulcer Acres 9. Its Swine O'clock Somewhere 10. Smokin T's Pork 1. Smokin T's 2. Ulcer Acres 3. All day Smoke 4. Show Me Your Bones 5. Quau 6. Bandit BBQ 7. Smokey Joel / Cubby Bear 8. Smokin' Scottsmen 9. Great Lakes BBQ and Feed Co. 10. Hogs N Heat Brisket 1. All Day Smoke 2. Quau 3. Show Me Your Bones 4. Ulcer Acres 5. Roosters Rib Runners 6. Smokey Joel / Cubby Bear 7. Team Showrite 8. Great Lakes BBQ Feed Co. 9. Bandit BBQ 10. It's 5 O'clock Somewhere CONGRATS to All in the Call! And CONGRATS to Shane and crew on a job well done! *************************************** Hello ILBBQS BBQ Enthusiast! Though we're in a bit of a cold snap in Southern Illinois today, and with the first KCBS sanctioned contest in the state this weekend (Wamac), Spring is here and barbeque season is officially in full swing! Your membership in the Illinois BBQ Society has helped spur an amazing growth in the wide world of barbeque in the state of Illinois. Through the efforts of members, like you, we have been able to maintain a current website (listing ALL barbeque related events/festivals/contests, that we know about, in the entire state), produce the ILBBQS Weekly(ish) eNewsletter, mentor new teams aspiring to 'hit the circuit', and consult with new KCBS and Backyard contests in Illinois, Missouri, and Indiana. Our membership now spans 8 states and 3 countries...We are certainly on the move! Just two years ago, when the ILBBQS was formed, there were only 4 sanctioned contests in the entire state, and a handful of 'backyard' events that were only able to get the word out to a small margin of enthusiasts. Thanks to the unprecedented growth of this 'sport' we call barbeque, and your support of the barbeque movement, the state of Illinois will host no fewer than 13 sanctioned contests and scores of new 'backyard' events! ...all sanctioned events, and many 'backyard' contests, are official 'State Championships' as proclaimed by the Governor of Illinois...no small feat...which helps to create more interest in our local contests and economy of the state. At this point in the season barbeque history for 2008 is still in the making, I wanted to thank you for your continued support of the Illinois BBQ Society and the efforts underway to continue building on the success of the past couple of years. While it is membership renewal time for some of you, I also wanted to THANK YOU for your continued membership in the Illinois BBQ Society! You are greatly appreciated and your membership will continue to be used to help grow existing events/contests; while helping emerging ones sprout wings and soar. If you would like to renew your membership quickly and easily online, please visit our 'Membership' page at http://www.ILBBQS.com/misc/membership.htm and take a couple of minutes to update your membership information and submit your renewal securely through PayPal. If you prefer to submit your renewal through conventional snail-mail, please visit http://www.ILBBQS.com/misc/membership.htm to download the renewal form and mail in with your check or money order. Your membership information is safe and secure with us, has only been used for internal purposes, and has never been sold, given, or traded, to outside sources...your privacy is important to us! Again, THANK YOU for your continued support of both the Illinois BBQ Society and the phenomenal growth of barbeque, and barbeque tourism, in Illinois and surrounding states! As always, should you have any questions, comments, suggestions, or ideas, please feel free to contact us ANYTIME! Carpe 'Que, Jim Rhino P.S. If, for some reason, you have decided to not continue your membership, please let us know by email reply, phone call, or snail-mail so that we can make note in the Membership Directory. *************************************** 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 - CANCELLED - 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 5, 2008 - 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 **NOTE** This contest is only open to 'local' teams...those teams from Marion, Clinton, and Washington Counties in Illinois. *************************************** Upcoming 2008 KCBS Contests... (All info & web addresses are posted on http://www.ILBBQS.com -> Contests/Events) ~ 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 ~ 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 *************************************** Upcoming Certified BBQ Judge's and Certified Table Captain's Classes... (All info posted on http://www.ILBBQS.com -> BBQ Classes) ~ None Scheduled (That we know of...if you know of an upcoming class, let us know!) *************************************** Upcoming BBQ Cooking Classes... (All info posted on http://www.ILBBQS.com -> BBQ Classes) ~ None Scheduled (That we know of...if you know of an upcoming class, let us know!) *************************************** 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