Tickets on sale for Smoke on the Cedar BBQ event

To The Press

Barbecue fans will be able to smell and taste the fun in Charles City on Saturday, June 22.

The 2019 Smoke on the Cedar BBQ competition will take place along the riverfront in downtown Charles City as professional and amateur barbecue smokers participate in this St. Louis-style rib contest.

Formerly known as the Charles City BBQ Challenge, up to 20 teams will compete for $1,200 in cash prizes in this certified Kansas City Barbeque Society-judged event.

There will also be a People’s Choice Award based on public sampling starting at 4:30 p.m. that day. An optional “Anything But …” sides or dessert contest will also be judged with an additional cash prize.

A limited number of VIP tickets are now on sale for the public sampling portion of Smoke on the Cedar, and will include BBQ ribs from each of the participating teams. A la carte tickets will also be sold the day of the competition for as long as supplies last.

VIP ticketholders can begin sampling at 4:30 p.m., while a la carte ticketholders can begin going through at 5:15 p.m. Only 100 VIP tickets will be sold and will include more than a full rack’s worth of ribs. Beverages will also be available for purchase at the event, including an outdoor beer vendor.

Competitor registrations are still being accepted and the $100 entry fee includes ribs provided for the competition. Registration forms are available at www.charlescitychamber.com or by contacting the Charles City Area Chamber of Commerce office at 401 North Main St., 641-228-4234 or info@charlescitychamber.com.

Smoke on the Cedar will be part of Saturday’s Whitewater Festival, which also includes the PAWS Dog Jog, Charles City Challenge whitewater competitions on the river, a Hooligan Race and other activities taking place behind City Hall and the Charles City Public Library at Riverfront Park.

Visit the Chamber website or call the office for more information.