Rules of Operation
Smithville’s Backyard BBQ Bash
Amateur BBQ Contest
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HOURS OF OPERATION: The event will be a one-day event, held Saturday, September 27, 2025, from 8am to 7pm, with set up time from 8am-10am. The location of the event is the Smithville Main Street District Downtown Courtyard.
SET-UP AND TAKE-DOWN: All BBQ teams must check in at the blue BBQ judging tent, next to the alley behind the court-yard stage, located on Commercial Street. BBQ teams will be allowed to set up their booths after check-in is completed. Check in starts at 8:00am. You provide your own tables, tents, etc. Due to the unpredictability of weather in September, though it is not required, we suggest you bring a tent, as this is a rain or shine event. (Please see weather policies below.) All vehicles must clear the event area by 9:45am. Absolutely no vehicles are allowed past the barricades during event hours, after 10:00am, or before 7pm, the day of the event.
BOOTH SPACES: Booth spaces measured 20 x 10 ft. cost $100. Team entry is included in the booth space rental. Booth spaces are available to reserve in advance on a first come, first served basis. See the event diagram and call the chamber office to reserve your spot – (816)532-0946. Booths are marked off and numbered in the event area the morning of the event. You must keep your booth within the confines of the space purchased including tie-downs, door access, trailer tongue, etc. Your booth will be removed if it extends beyond the space provided. No BBQ teams may change/swap booth spaces, nor can you sell your booth space.
ELECTRICITY: Electricity will not be provided to our BBQ teams for this event. Teams are allowed to bring a generator to hook up electric grills or smokers.
GRILLING EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS: Only backyard homeowner type grills, smokers, ugly drum smokers (including custom ugly drums) are acceptable. Gas, Charcoal, or other cooking methods may be used, after raw meat has been inspected, as long as grilling is a part of the cooking process. Multiple grills are allowed throughout the day. NO TRAILERED CUSTOM BIG RIGS, and all equipment must fit in your designated booth space!!!!!! The pros are allowed to compete, but must use normal backyard equipment like us regular Joes!!
CONTEST ENTRY CATEGORIES: There will be four submission categories: Ribs (pork or beef, bone- in), Chicken (leg or thighs), Burgers with all the fixins’, and ?????. You are not required to compete in every category. Grand Cham-pion is highest total combined scores of all categories. The Golden Pineapple Award is best team hospitality and spirit of the day (decorations, shirts, themes – BE CREATIVE).
FOODHANDLING PRACTICES: In efforts to keep this fun and at an amateur level, NO food handlers permit is required for this event. With that being said, THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS NOT ALLOWED TO TASTE COMPETITION FOOD. Please attempt to practice safe food handling procedures, per the Clay County Public health guidelines: http://www.clayhealth.com/m/ food-handler-manager-training.
CHECK-IN PROCESS: All registered BBQ teams must check in at the Information Booth under the main tent in the court-yard. You will be given a welcome packet at this time, as well as a team number. We will be providing containers for turn in/presentation at this time. You will get one container per category. Once you have checked in, a designated BBQ Bash representative will follow you to your booth area for a Raw Meat Inspection.
RAW MEAT/FILLING/STUFFING INSPECTION: Contestants provide their own meat. Start with cold, raw meat at check in. All meat must be kept below 40 degrees prior to cooking. In efforts to keep everyone on an even playing field, we are asking that NO meats be pre-seasoned or pre-marinated even for your own consumption during the event. Grilling must be at least one part of the cooking process in all categories.
SUBMISSION PRESENTATION/GARNISH: We will be providing you with 4 containers at the beginning of the day for your submissions, one for each category. Please make enough, one piece of meat per judge (4), per category (placing all pieces of meat in one container), except in the burger category. Please present one burger in the container provided, intact (do not cut). The judges will judge for presentation prior to cutting into 4 pieces to taste. In keeping with the fun of an amateur contest, you are not required to provide a garnish.
TURN-IN TIMES: The turn in time for each category is as follows – Burgers 11- 11:30am, Chicken 1pm - 1:30pm, Ribs 3pm-3:30pm, ????? 5pm – 5:30pm. Please deliver your finished product to the blue top judging tent, near the courtyard stage, during the appropriate turn in window.
JUDGING/SCORECARD: You will be judged in five categories: appearance, taste, moisture, tenderness/texture, and overall impression, with each category weighted differently, for a total of 100 points. Refer to the sample BBQ Bash Scorecard for the judging criteria and breakdown of points. Judges will start scoring at "Good" and adjust from there as they see fit. The lowest total score will be thrown out. In case of a tie, the lowest score will be added back in. If still tied, the scores will be compared for highest cumulative scores in taste, then tenderness, then appearance. We will be doing a double-blind submission for judging. The submission number will not be your originally assigned team number. CONTEST AWARDS & PRIZES: We will award prizes in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place, per each category, with one Overall Grand
Champion, and one Golden Pineapple Award (team spirit). Trophy & Cash prizes are as follows per category, per team: 1st Place - $100 Chamber Cash, 2nd Place - $75 Chamber Cash, and 3rd Place $50 Chamber Cash, Grand Champion will receive a $100 cash prize, and Golden Pineapple winner (best team spirit) will receive a $50 cash prize. All winning teams will receive one trophy per team.
ASHES AND COOKING OILS/GREASE: It is the responsibility of all BBQ teams to dispose of their own ashes in the designated ash container. All teams are required to take their own cooking oils/grease with them when they leave at the end of the day. Do not dump your ashes or cooking oils/grease in the street drainage ditches or grass area.
OUTSIDE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES: Vendors will be selling alcoholic beverages on premise this year. As a result, teams are NOT allowed to bring in their own alcoholic beverages during the event. In keeping with the Chamber’s mission and intent, we are encouraging individuals to purchase from our local establishments.
SECURITY: Security will be provided throughout the event. Each BBQ team is responsible for their own equipment.
REFUNDS: If you reserve a BBQ booth space and need to cancel the reservation, a 50% refund will be given if cancelled by August 31, 2025. After this date, no refunds will be given.
WEATHER CANCELLATION POLICY: This is a rain or shine event and will proceed as scheduled if predicted rain is light to moderate. However, the Chamber Board of Directors will assess the severity of forecasted weather (i.e. lightning, wind) and may cancel or adjust the event schedule as necessary to protect the safety of the community, teams and volunteers. In the event of a cancellation, refunds may be given as deemed necessary and appropriate by the Chamber Board of Directors.
COVID-19 CANCELLATION POLICY: We are temporarily modifying our cancellation policy to allow for full refunds for any registered participants who are not able to attend due to COVID-19 related issues. If you have been recommended to self-quarantine, have had recent contact with an ill person, or are feeling ill yourself, please do not come to the event. Also, the Chamber Board of Directors will abide by recommendations from Clay County Public Health in regard to event size and safety. Full refunds will be given to registered participants if the event is cancelled due to COVID-19.
SOUND RESTRICTIONS: No excess noise will be permitted from the BBQ booth spaces. Please be considerate of your fellow BBQ teams.
PLEASE READ CAREFULLY. By clicking the indicated box online or signing the Team Registration form, you agree to and accept these Rules of Operation of Smithville's Backyard BBQ Bash. Violation of any of the above rules could result in immediate eviction from your occupied booth space at Smithville's Backyard BBQ Bash, by the Smithville Chamber Special Events staff. The Smithville Special Events Committee reserves the right to accept or reject any vendor application.
BBQ participant covenants that it will protect, defend, hold harmless and indemnify the Smithville Area Chamber of Commerce, the Smithville Special Events Committee, the City of Smithville, their directors, officers, successors, assigns, employees, and volunteers from and against any and all expenses, claims, actions, liabilities, attorney’s fees, damages and losses of any kind, actually or allegedly, resulting from or connected with the participation as a vendor at Smithville's Backyard BBQ Bash. The Smithville Area Chamber of Commerce and the City of Smithville shall not be liable for any loss or damage to any merchandise, or personal property in or about vendor booth regardless of the cause of such loss or damage. Vendor agrees to submit to the jurisdiction of the courts of the State of Missouri, County of Clay, and City of Smithville.
