NEW CATEGORIES ADDED TO CHAMBER'S BBQ FEST

Two cooking categories have been added to the annual BBQ Fest set for Aug. 26-27 at Arena Park.

Beef brisket and whole hog are the newest categories. Others are hamburgers, beef kebabs, pork Boston butts and pork ribs.

Teams must cook in four of the six categories to be eligible for the grand champion trophy.

The trophy and $100 will be presented to the grand champion by the Agri-Business Committee of the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce, which is conducting the event.

Trophies or ribbons will be presented to the top three teams in each category.

Rules, regulations and entry forms are available at the chamber office, 601 N. Kingshighway.

The BBQ Fest is held to promote beef and pork consumption.

The cook-off teams must be amateurs or backyard cooks and can consist of one or more members, said Edward L. Snider, chairman of the event.

Judging of the teams will begin at noon Aug. 27. Also included is a special showmanship class.

Food and drink stands will be set up and musical entertainment will be provided the night of Aug. 26.

Other contests will be held Aug. 27. They include a kiddie tractor pull; a watermelon-eating contest; washer-, rolling-pin, and biscuit-throwing contests; a water balloon toss; and country hole-in-one golf.

A number of businesses will serve as corporate sponsors.

Gold sponsors are Boatmen's and Capital banks; silver sponsors are Bluff City Beer, Biokyowa Inc., Midwest Agri-Chemico and River Eagle Distributing; bronze sponsors are AmeriFirst Bank, Farm Bureau Insurance, Port Cape Girardeau and Southeast Missouri Builders Supply; copper sponsors are Mercantile Bank, Overhead Door Company of SEMO, and Sears; and other sponsors are Fruitland Livestock Inc., National Supermarkets and Straightway Farm Service.