Tastefully done

Amid the heat and haze of a sweltering August day, Rick Goodman of Jackson is playing it cool. At the 11th annual Cape BBQ Fest at Arena Park, Goodman's group is among 37 teams competing for prizes and recognition.

He's competed here before and has spent seven years salivating for a win.

"I've been shut out for the last five years," he said. "I've taken a second and a third place, but I'm still looking for a first."

But this time, things will be different for "Rick's Pork 'N Fiends," he said.

"I have a secret sauce this year," he said, grinning. "That's going to put me right on top."

His girlfriend, Kelly Reeves of Cape Girardeau, was there for moral support, she said.

"He wants me to come out and keep him company, but he doesn't want me to touch anything," she said. "But I think that if I did get to touch anything, it might be sweeter."

A few tents over, the team of "Three Men and a Grill" also feel they may have an edge over the competition with their laid-back style.

"Cook it slow and cook it low," said Kevin Ammon of Jackson.

He spent the afternoon setting up an outdoor kitchen with teammates Fred Held of Kelso, Mo., and Rick Flinn of Jackson. Since this is their first year as a team, the three decided it's best to keep a low profile, Ammon said.

"We're going to lay back, learn and listen," he said. "We're not here just to win, but to make friends too. If we won anything, that'd just be a bonus."

Later in the evening, "Three Men and a Grill" got that bonus by winning second place and a ribbon in the talent portion of the event, said chairwoman Cathi Schlosser. They performed in grass skirts and pig noses as "Harry and the Hula Hogs" in a parody on the Garth Brooks song "I've Got Friends in Low Places." First place and a trophy went to the Kiwanis Club. Third place and a ribbon went to Nordenia Grill Fest.

But the prize everyone is hoping for will be awarded this afternoon -- the Charles E. Knote Memorial Award for Grand Champion.

The grand champion receives a trophy and $250 grand prize. First-, second- and third-place winners in the six categories each receive cash prizes of $100, $75 and $50, respectively. First-place winners also receive a trophy.

Friday's event drew a crowd between 2,000 to 3,000, Schlosser said. This year, the Arena Building was opened so visitors could eat in an air-conditioned dining area to escape the heat. Other changes included child-friendly additions, including face painting, shaved flavored ice and two inflatable bounce rooms.

mwells@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 160