Durand Railroad Days and Smokin’ in the D will host the 2nd annual Kids Que contest and Rib Burn on Saturday, May 20 in the new parking lot located west of the 100 block of N. Saginaw Street in downtown Durand.
Numerous BBQ teams, both amateur and professional, will compete in the Rib Burn to see who cooks the best ribs around. Last year there were 15 teams entered in the competition on the Saturday of Railroad Days, and organizers expect this year’s event to draw as many as 20 competition teams. Cooking starts at 11 a.m. and lasts until 6 p.m. Everyone is welcome to come, watch, and take in the aromas the dedicated cooks create.
The Rib Burn is sponsored by Smokin in the D, Randy Wise Chrysler Jeep Dodge, ATI Physical Therapy of Owosso, Union Station Smokehouse, and Railroad Days, Inc.
The 2nd annual Kids Que contest will be from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Contestants between the ages of eight and 12 years old will demonstrate their talents as they cook hamburgers on Weber Smokey Joe charcoal grills. Railroad Days provides the grills, charcoal, 1-1/2 pounds of ground chuck for cooking, and platters for each contestant. Each contestant must provide their own cooking utensils, condiments, buns (if desired), and adult supervision, but ONLY THE CONTESTANTS are to handle the food and condiments. Contestants may dress their hamburgers up with buns, pickles, onions, olives, chives, jalapenos, mustard, ketchup; and burgers can be seasoned any way the contestants choose.
The Kids Que contest is sponsored by Smokin’ in the D, Randy Wise Chrysler Dodge Jeep, ATI Physical Therapy of Owosso, Durand Meat Processing, Union Station Smokehouse, and Ace Hardware of Durand.
No food from either contest will be for sale. Independent judges will be provided for both competitions with a double blind system. Cash prizes will be awarded for each event. For the Kids Que, $200 will be awarded for 1st place, $100 for 2nd, $50 for 3rd, and $25 for 4th. In the Rib Burn, $500 will be awarded for 1st place, $250 for 2nd, and $100 for 3rd. Also, the top three placers in each contest will be awarded plaques from Deluxe Trophies, Awards & Gift Shop.
Entry forms for both contests can be found at www.durandrailroaddays.com, and can be mailed to Railroad Days, Inc., P.O. Box 316, Durand, MI 48429. All forms must be received by Wednesday May 17. The cost of admission is $20 for the Kids Que contest, and $50 per team for the Rib Burn.
