Barbecue aficionados will return to cook up—and taste— some mouth-watering ribs, brisket, chicken and steak this weekend at Spur’s Swenson Park for the 5th annual ICBA-sanctioned Big Dog BAB Cook-off.
Cook teams will begin arriving on Friday to set up and prepare their steak entries. More than a dozen teams are expected, according to cookoff organizer Betsy Arnold. One newcomer to the competition, according to Spur Area Chamber of Commerce president Matt McArthur, is the Argo Blockchain team. (McArthur, who’s working for Argo in Dickens County, will pitch in.)
This year, the Dickens County cryptocurrency mining firm has also pledged to rebuild the city’s swimming pool, and while work on that project won’t be complete by June, the historic WPA-era bathhouse, restored with funds raised locally in prior years, will be, according to City of Spur staff.
On Saturday morning, a vendor fair is slated for the pavilion area near the livestock show barn, which will be in use for cook-off judging. Starting around 5 p.m., a hamburger dinner ($10 for burger and fixin’s, sides, and soft drink) will be available as a Chamber fundraiser, until about 8 p.m.
The Chamber, which coordinates the tasting judges and organizes other events around the cook-off, still has judging slots available for events Friday night at 7 and 8 p.m and on Saturday at noon, 1:30, 3:00, and 4:30 p.m. (See contact details in What’s Happening, page 1 in this issue.) Judges must be age 18 or over.
Also on Saturday night, the popular barn dance returns, with the Clay Gibson Band from Levelland. Donations for admission will be accepted at the door; food, snacks, and beverages will be available for purchase at the concession stand.
Arnold expressed thanks to event sponsors and donors Argo Blockchain, the Back Door Inn, Cap Rock Telephone Cooperative, Dickens County Farm Bureau, Outdoor Chef (Lubbock), Rolling Plains Title of Texas, South Plains Electric Cooperative and Zapata Funeral Home for their support.
The cost for cook teams to enter is $150 for three meat categories (chicken, pork ribs, and brisket), with the total prize pot dependent on the number of registrants.
Watch for details on the event’s Facebook page at @BigDogSpur.
- Log in or Subscribe to post comments.
