Glen Ellyn’s 5th Annual Backyard BBQ Cook-Off Sizzles

GLEN ELLYN, Ill. - Aug. 19, 2013 - PRLog -- Glen Ellyn’s Backyard BBQ Cook-Off returns for its fifth year, with lots of new plans for food, fun and festivity in a relaxed, downhome atmosphere.  Glen Ellyn’s 5^th Annual Backyard BBQ Cook-Off Competition takes place Saturday, September 14^th in the Glenwood Avenue lot in downtown Glen Ellyn.  The event is open to the public from 10:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m., and there is no cost to attend.  Attendees are encouraged to bring their own chairs, relax, and hang out for the afternoon.  Full details can be found at http://www.glenellynbackyardbbq.com.

Both amateur and seasoned barbecuers are taking their backyard talents to downtown Glen Ellyn in hopes of winning bragging rights.  Sixty teams will be competing in this year’s BBQ competition.  Competition categories are Best Ribs, Best Dish, Best Homemade Sauce, plus a bonus People’s Choice Award to the competitor with the crowd’s favorite BBQ sauce.  Best Ribs and Best Homemade Sauce will be judged by Kansas City BBQ Society certified judges.

In May, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn has declared the Glen Ellyn Backyard BBQ Cook-Off an official Illinois State Competition; this distinction allows winners of the Glen Ellyn Backyard BBQ Cook-Off the opportunity to qualify for national contests, such as Jack Daniels, American Royal in Kansas City, and others. 

While grilled and smoked meats will take the spotlight, there is much more to the event than just BBQ.  Food vendors include Brand on the Run, Smokin' Wills, Skuddlebutt’s, Tap House Grill, and Husky Hog BBQ.

Tom Koprowski, Glen Ellyn resident, barbecue enthusiast and co-founder of the BBQ who goes by “Pig Daddy,” adds, “This year’s music lineup is better than ever.  We’ve got Amy Kelly with the Bill Ande Band and Cadillac Dave and His Chicago Red Hots both returning this year, along with Fruteland Jackson and Chainsaw Dupont also performing.  It’s our best lineup yet!”

Another competition takes place at the Glen Ellyn Backyard BBQ Cook-Off: the Bags Tournament.  In its third year, the Bags Tournament welcomes two-person teams for a double elimination format competition. The Tournament begins at 11:30 a.m. and ends with the final four at approximately 4:00 p.m.  Winners will be announced on the main stage along with the BBQ competition winners.  The entry donation is $30 per team minimum (more is always appreciated!), and registration will close after 32 entries are received.  To enter the bags competitions, participants must submit a form and a fee; applications for the contests and more information can be found at www.glenellynbackyardbbq.com.

"Everything that we do here funds and supports Bridge Communities’ mission, which is helping homeless families in DuPage County to transform their lives and get back on their feet," says Koprowski.

Major sponsors include Glen Ellyn Bank and Trust and 90.9fm WDCB Public Radio.

 

The Glen Ellyn Backyard BBQ is an unofficial community gathering run by neighborhood volunteers and is not affiliated with any organization other than its sponsors and not-for-profit beneficiary, Bridge Communities.  Entrants and guests participate at their own risk. Questions? Email gebybbq@gmail.com.

Bridge Communities, Inc. is a dynamic, grassroots, nonprofit organization committed to transforming the lives of homeless families in DuPage County through partnering with talented, resourceful individuals and groups in our community. Its program of transitional housing, mentoring and supportive services empowers the families to increase life skills and earning power to promote self-sufficiency, sustain permanent housing, and to break the cycle of poverty within the family unit.  What began by co-founders Mark Milligan and Bob Wahlgren when they decided, in 1988, to begin to help homeless families, has now become a powerful current of change in the lives of over 600 families.  For more information about Bridge Communities, please visit www.BridgeCommunities.org or contact Amy Van Polen at (630) 545-0610, ext. 12 or amy.vanpolen@bridgecommunities.org.

 

Photos available upon request.