It's not too late for barbecue enthusiasts to enter a team in the ninth annual Cape BBQ Fest Aug. 24 and 25 at Arena Park.

In fact, W.D. Withers, captain of the two-time defending champion Penny Street Porkers, hopes more teams do.

"It's really anybody's competition," he said. "There are a lot of factors, like the weather and your grill, that you can't control until you get there."

Last year's BBQ Fest drew the largest crowd ever, said Linda Minner, special projects director at the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce.

"We expect it to be bigger and better this year," she said.

Six meat categories

This year's meat categories are hamburgers, beef kabobs, beef boneless strip steak, roast pork (Boston Butt), pork steaks and pork ribs. First-place teams in each category will receive $100, second place $75 and third place $50.

The grand champion will receive a trophy and $250. To be eligible, a team must have the highest combined total score after participating in four of the six categories and receiving a first- or second-place finish in at least one category.

Withers and his other team members, main cook Mike Kripfel and Jim Ham, almost didn't enter this year because they wanted someone else to have a shot at the prize.

"We just about didn't enter because we just wanted to be judges," he said. "But then Jim told me it was a challenge for the other teams to beat us."

This year's barbecue will begin Aug. 24 at 6 p.m. at the park with games and contests, and is free to the public. Participating teams often use this evening as a chance to brush up on their barbecue skills, Minner said.

"This is a great opportunity for local companies to get together with their associates and have a barbecue cookoff and participate Friday night with a barbecue for their employees," she said.

Team setup can begin at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 23, and team check-in will be from 1 to 9 p.m. on Aug. 24. Sites will be assigned on a first-come, first-serve basis, with preference given to returning teams.

The actual judging will get under way Saturday at noon, with a winner declared that day by 3 p.m. Minner said the judges have already been chosen from the chamber's corporate sponsors, board of directors and committee members.

"They have to be fun-loving and food-loving," she said.

So far, Minner said, a little more than 20 teams have entered this year's competition, and she expects more to enter by Friday's deadline.

Withers said he encourages other teams to enter.

"Anybody can win, and I hope someone else does," Withers said.

For more information on the BBQ Fest or to enter a team, call the Chamber of Commerce at 335-3312.

WANT TO GO?:

What: Ninth annual Cape BBQ Fest

When: Aug. 24-25, 6 p.m. Friday, contest noon Saturday

Where: Arena Park in Cape Girardeau

Deadline for team barbecue entries is Friday. Cost to enter is $50 a team.