Competition heats up at barbecue challenge

The 17th annual Best Dam Barbecue Challenge begins Friday in Boulder City.

The free event runs from 4-11 p.m. Friday, May 28, and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 29, in Bicentennial Park.

It is put on by the Rotary Club of Boulder City and features more than 20 professional and amateur barbecue teams competing in the categories of ribs, pork, brisket, chicken and total overall score, seeking their share of $12,000 in cash prizes and the right to be named the state champion.

“We have 26 teams competing as of now,” said George Rosenbaum, president of the Rotary Club. “To be a sanctioned event for the Nevada State BBQ Championship we need 25.”

This Best Dam Barbecue Challenge is also the second large-scale event held in Boulder City since March 2020.

In April, Rosenbaum said the club received approval from the state. They will still be following the proper capacity requirements and current mask rules.

“Since the guidelines don’t fully change until June 1 we are encouraging masks and will try to follow contact tracing,” he said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently said fully vaccinated people can stop wearing face coverings outdoors in crowds and in most indoor locations unless otherwise prohibited.

Despite these differences, Rosenbaum said this year’s event will still be almost the same as past ones.

Admission remains free and includes the marketplace, food trucks, car show and KidsQue and rib-eating contests.

Rosenbaum said one thing that won’t be at this year’s event is the kids’ area with the bouncy houses and other play items.

“It’s hard to clean,” he said.

He said there will be a climbing wall that people can pay to climb.

For more information about the event and a schedule of events, go to http://www.bestdambarbecue.com/index.php.

Contact reporter Celia Shortt Goodyear at cgoodyear@bouldercityreview.com or at 702-586-9401. Follow her on Twitter @csgoodyear.