BBQ Entry

Application & Registration Fee Deadline: April 12th, 2024
$150 Registration Fee ($100 if you enter by 2/29)

The Island Men Inc present the 2024 Island Men Backyard BBQ April 19th/20th located at the USAF Recreational Area near Kure Beach on Pleasure Island. This year’s event is planned to be even BIGGER and BETTER than last year’s very successful event.

We will have a similar number of vendors, a kids play area is planned, concessions, as well as other attractions to help promote the event.  

With your input from last year we have made several changes that you requested. These include:

  • First Responders Division, for a Trophy and most important, Bragging rights within their Community.
  • Change in People’s Choice voting to one card ballot for each person who pays to enter the event.
  • Cash Prizes for 1st, $300, 2nd $200 and 3rd $100 for the Official Judges results.
  • We will focus on getting the best Judges we can find in this area.
  • Each Team will get a copy of their individual scoring sheets. 
  • Each team will also get a copy of the total results for all contestants.

We will have a children’s play area to give the kids a place to have some fun. We hope you will share this with your BBQ friends so we can grow our number of contestants as we grow the size of the attending customers. Below, find this year’s contestant sign up sheet with the rules and regulations, very similar to last years. The Island Men is a 501(c)(3) Charity Organization who raised well over $100,000 this past year, and all the money goes back into our community to help those in need and contribute to the overall quality of life on our “Little Slice of Paradise”. 

Rules and Information

Check In & Set Up – Friday the day before event day. You may load and set up from 12:00 – 7:00PM. You must be Prepared to serve by 10:45 AM Saturday.

Provided To Each Contestant Will Be…

  • A space to set up and prepare onsite.
  • An opportunity to make any pork-based Pork BBQ dish of their choosing.
  • Entree proteins must be prepared on-site (We’ll provide the pork butts).

Contestants must provide…

  • Their own cooking appliances (smoker, grill, and cooking utensils, etc.) maintained to county standards.
  • Food cook-off protein entries must be made with ingredients provided by The Island Men Inc.
  • Cooked on site food preparation must be ready by 10:45 AM the day of the event
  • Items to display, such as your signs, decorations, and group name.
  • Warmer trays, foods must be kept at 140 degrees or above for the entire event.
  • A thermometer and service utensils.
  • Clean up.

We encourage you to begin preparation on Friday starting at 12:00 noon!

Judging results will be announced at 4:30pm

Details and Awards

  • Our judging panel will be made up of 5-7 individuals selected by our Judging Committee. They will be formally announced at a later date.
  • There will be First, Second, and Third places awarded in the formal judging category and one People’s Choice Award, and one First Responders Award.
  • Winners will receive a trophy, cash prizes for the official judging results, bragging rights

Judging

  • Each Judge will evaluate contestants on a 30-point scale with the below subcategories.
    • Taste – 15 Points
    • Texture – 10 Points
    • Appearance – 5 Points
  • A contestant’s final score will be the average of all the Judges’ scores for their BBQ dish.
  • In the event of a tie, ties will be broken by a vote by the Judges

If at any time during the event violations are observed, the contestant will be required to cease all food service operations until the violations have been corrected.

Event Terms and Conditions

  • Exhibitors’/Contestants’ booth space is to be set up, open and staffed, on the day of the “Island Men Backyard BBQ”.
  • Exhibitor/Contestant agrees that if accepted by Producer, “The Island Men Inc’” into the “The Island Men Inc. Backyard BBQ Cook-off”, that Producer is under no obligation to rent space to Exhibitor in future events or future years.
  • Insurance, if desired by Exhibitor/Contestant, must be provided at their own expense. The Producer, The Island Men Inc., or the US Airforce Recreational Area assume no risk; and by the acceptance of this agreement, the Exhibitor/Contestant expressly releases the Producer, The Island Men Inc’, and the US Airforce Recreational Area of and from any and all liability for any damage, injury, theft, or loss to any person or goods which may arise from the rental and occupation of said space by the Exhibitor/Contestant.
  • The Producer will not be liable for refunds or any other liabilities whatsoever for the failure of Exhibitor/Contestant to attend, nor refunds or other liabilities for failure to produce “The Island Men Inc. Backyard BBQ Cook-off” due to acts of God, or any other cause beyond the Producer’s control.
  • The Producer may rent or license space for any exhibit of interest to the general public or of educational value. All exhibits must be designed, constructed and operated in good taste and in accordance with the best interest of the “The Island Men Inc. Backyard BBQ Cook-off” which Producer in its sole discretion shall have the right to decide. All sales, publicity and promotion activities conducted by the Exhibitor/Contestant at the “The Island Men Inc. Backyard BBQ Cook-off” must be confined to his or her space. Socially Unacceptable behavior and the use of a public-address systems are not allowed and may result in expulsion from the event.
  • Exhibitor/Contestant consents those photographs taken and filming recorded of him or herself, employees and volunteers and booth and products at the festival may be used for advertising and publicity for this or any future expositions Producer may present.
  • All inspections or food service permits required are the sole responsibility of the Exhibitor/Contestant. Permits are not needed for this location, as the US Airforce will provide inspection services and additional security.