Colorado BBQ Challenge Competitor Info

2021 BBQ Challenge Competitor Info

2021 Colorado BBQ Challenge – Canceled

Due to ongoing public health orders and conditions, the Town of Frisco has made the decision to cancel the 2021 Colorado BBQ Challenge, originally scheduled for June 17-19. After postponing and then canceling the event in 2020 due the pandemic, the Town of Frisco had hoped that this event could be held in 2021 to honor what is now a 28-year-old tradition. Current public health orders allow for outdoor events with a maximum of 175 participants, and the next phase of public health orders moves that maximum attendance to 250 attendees. While case data is improving and vaccination rates are rising, it has become clear that there is no realistic way to drastically reduce BBQ event attendance in order to respect and protect the public’s health during this popular event, which typically draws 12,000-14,000 attendees over two days.

2019 BBQ Challenge Vendor Information Packet

Download the 2019 Colorado BBQ Challenge Vendor Packet Info

Space Requirements

Each entrant will be allocated a 15’ x 20’ footprint unless a larger footprint is purchased. Spaces CANNOT be more than 15’ deep. A limited number of non-selling spaces will be available. Spaces are 15′ deep x 20′ long. You may park your RV (No RV’s on Main Street), trailer or vehicle in your space provided that you remain within the 15′x20′ footprint. If additional space is needed please call us at 970-668-5276 to make arrangements – 15′x30′ = $40, 15′x40′=$60

Selling teams have a height restriction of 15′.

A Thursday load in and registration will be available from 2:00pm to 8:00pm Please indicate which day you will be arriving for a smooth load in. Contestant may indicate a team they would like to be located near, but contest organizers reserve the right to assign spaces. Selling teams will be separated from non-selling contestants.

Changes and additions to ancillary categories must be made by 10:00am on Friday.
All teams must have a provision for hand washing and meet the Summit County Health Department vendor guide lines. A BBQ Competitor Health Application must be submitted by all selling teams after teams have been accepted.
Fire extinguishers are required. You can purchase them at Wal-Mart, Target, Sander’s True Value Hardware, and Big Horn Ace Hardware. Smoke arresters are required. All competitors will have a fire inspection on Friday.
An ice truck will be on-site Friday and Saturday days to sell ice at cost.
Receptacles for ash and grease disposal will be available throughout the contest. Please provide your own trash receptacles for your booth. Dumpsters will be conveniently located for trash, recycling and composting.
Tables, tents, chairs may be rented from Colorado Tents and Events which is located in Silverthorne (4 miles from Frisco). Call them directly for rental information at (970) 262-6858 — 7-10 days notice required. All equipment including tents and grills must be removed from the street by 8:00pm on Saturday.
Teams must provide their own heavy duty extension cords (at least 200 feet). Limited electricity will be available.
Restrooms (no shower facilities) will be available inside Town Hall and the Visitor Information Center and port-o-lets will be located throughout the event.
Water will be available at three outside locations at Town Hall, Visitor Information Center and at the Historic Park.
Grey water may only be disposed at locations indicated on the map. There are no sewers in the street, so please do not dump water on the street.

Barbecue Sales: BBQ tickets – 85% BBQ sellers – 15% contest

For 10+ years, the BBQ Challenge has been a non-cash event. BBQ tickets are called Hogbacks. Hogback sales have been a significant fund-raiser for local non-profits and a way for the competition’s cooking teams to recoup some of their costs. From each $1.00 ticket sold, the Colorado BBQ Challenge receives $0.15 and teams receive $0.85.

Last year the BBQ Challenge sold over 500,000 Hogbacks. The top seller redeemed 21,000 tickets, and with the average team redeemed approximately 4,000 tickets (36 teams sold).

Teams may NOT accept any payment other than Hogbacks.

BBQ Sales: Friday 11:00am – 9:00pm & Saturday 10:00am – 6:00pm

BBQ samples and plates may be sold to the public for TICKETS ONLY.

All vendors, including contestants, who sell any food including plates of BBQ and side dishes, must take tickets instead of cash. You will receive 85% of proceeds from your booth. For instance, you may sell a plate for $5.00, but will be collecting 5 tickets for that plate and will be reimbursed $4.25. Many contestants have been very successful selling plates/combos, and we encourage more teams to sell sample portions and side dishes.
Your Hogbacks will be re-counted and a check for 85% of the proceeds minus applicable sales taxes (Frisco will retain your state sales tax and remit it on your behalf; please provide us with a Colorado sales tax ID, if you have one and the BBQ Challenge will submit your state taxes for you) will be mailed to you within two weeks. The remainder of the proceeds will be kept by the BBQ Challenge.
The contest will have four ticket booths and roving ticket sellers.
A container will be provided to you to collect tickets redeemed at your booth. Pick up your container at Registration. Please turn in your ticket container and reimbursement form at the Recreation Building (110 Third Avenue) by 7:00pm Saturday.
Teams are encouraged to sell T- shirts, sauces, and other Team Schwag but are required to take tickets and will be reimbursed on the 85/15 split.
Meat for selling may be brought to the contest pre-cooked. Contest meat must start raw and will be inspected on Friday morning.

Meat Inspection & Health Department Regulations

All meats cooked at the Challenge must be USDA-approved meat or have been purchased from a USDA-inspected source. Cookers must be able to show proof of this.
Meat inspections will be conducted from 9:00am – 12:00pm on Friday; the contest representative will certify that the meat begins raw. Meat for selling does not need to begin raw, you may bring pre-cooked or pre-marinated meats. Inspections will be assigned by location.
In our Miscellaneous category, the health department has some concerns about what types of game (or exotic) meat will be cooked and sold to the public. The FDA and the Colorado Department of Health require that game meat come from inspected sources and our local officials are obliged to enforce that law. If you have any questions about whether your meat can be approved for the miscellaneous competition, call Summit County Environmental Health Department at 970-668-4072.
The Summit County Health Department updated their fee structure in 2017. An updated application and information may be found on the Summit County Health Department website.

Kids Q

Kids Q will again be held on Friday night – the Kids Q meeting will be at 4:00pm and Kids Q BBQ should be turned in at 6:00pm. Please refer to the KCBS Rules and Regulations. Our contest will have the 2 age groups – 10 and under and 11-15. We will designate an area for cooking, and the contest will provide grills. Parents may help and presentations must be done at the cooking site. A parent must be present with the child during the entire cooking process. ANYTHING GOES in this contest so kids may prepare whatever they like. A complete copy of the rules will be sent to all kids who pre-register.

Anything Goes

Anything Goes will be an open meat category and will be judged at 6:30pm on Friday. KCBS garnish rules do not apply. The entries must be prepared on site and be submitted in the KCBS container with the lid closed. Buffalo, lamb, alligator, sausage, seafood, wings, kabobs, pizza,etc. are some of the items we’ve judged before. You may enter the anything goes category with more than one item. The local health department has some concerns about what types of game (or any exotic meat) that will be cooked and sold to the public. Your game meat must come from inspected sources and you must supply proof of inspection when the contest inspects your meat.

BBQ Sauce & Salsa

The salsa and BBQ sauce contests will be Friday night only and will be judged by KCBS rules. The official judging will be at 7:00pm for salsa and 7:30pm for sauce. Because salsa and sauce entries are only $15, space on the street will not be provided unless entrants pay $250 for the initial four required categories.

Registration for salsa and BBQ sauce ends at Friday 10:00am. At registration, official BBQ sauce and salsa contestants will be given a 16 oz. cup which must be used to submit the salsa and/or sauce for official judging. Turn in times will be 7:00pm for Salsa and 7:30pm for sauce. Mail entries will not be accepted. Also, a representative must turn in the salsa and sauce at the required times. Contest organizers will not be responsible for turning in of the samples. The salsa and BBQ sauce awards will be given on Saturday at 4:00pm with the other BBQ awards.

Side Dish

The side dish category will be judged at 11:30am on Saturday and may include any type of side dish that you wish to create. KCBS garnish rules do not apply. The entries must be prepared on site and be submitted in the KCBS turn-in container with the lid closed.

Dessert

The dessert category will be judged at 2:00pm Saturday and may include any type of dessert that you wish to submit. The entries must be prepared on site. You may be as creative as you like in your presentation to the judges and you may use any type of container for turn-in.

Please collect your dessert container(s) at the turn-in table outside of the judges area after 3:30pm Frisco BBQ and KCBS are not responsible for the loss and/or damage to your dessert containers.