The Drayton Kinsmen Smoke ‘n Sounds Festival is set to go July 10 and 11 at the Drayton fairgrounds.
The event will feature a weekend of music, events and great cooking, featuring three barbecue classes:
- • a Kansas City Barbeque Society-sanctioned professional class doing a four-meat cook-off with a total prize package of $4,000;
- • a local amateur class two-meat cook-off with the public judging; and
- • a Kids Barbecue Contest, for youngsters only.
While the barbecuing is going on, several other events will be providing entertainment. The Wellington Junior Farmers will be hosting a Farmers Olympics on Saturday afternoon and the Kinettes will be entertaining children at Kinsmen Park after the market closes for the day.
A pulled pork dinner will be available from 5 to 8pm hosted by the Drayton Kin family for $15 per person.
On Friday night, Saturday afternoon and Saturday night the festival will feature a great lineup of musical performers.
Judging competition
Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) teams are known for cooking some of the best barbecue in the world, but it takes a dedicated team of judges to decide which is truly the best of the best.
Being a certified barbecue judge (CBJ) means more than just getting to taste award-winning barbecue and deciding who wins the awards. It’s about representing and spreading the message of KCBS, which is to promote barbecue.
To become a CBJ, just attend the class conducted by KCBS at Drayton Kinsmen Smoke ’n Sounds Festival. In a half-day’s time, you’ll learn how to grade world-class chicken, pulled pork, ribs and brisket – and taste them during the process. By the time you’re finished, you’ll be ready to sign up for the next competition in your area. Also, CBJ fees include a one-year membership to KCBS.
The judges course runs July 10 from 2:30pm to 6pm. Sign up on www.smokensound.com.
This course does not require renewing and participants will be certified KCBS judges internationally for local and overseas competitions.
After taking the course, participants may sign up to judge the Smoke ‘N’ Sounds Festival or any other KCBS-sanctioned competition for free.
Junior Farmers Olympics
The Junior farmers are putting on a Farmers Olympics. Some of the events include wheelbarrow races, tire roll, feed bag races and the classic bale toss. These events are taking place on the soccer field, from 1 to 4pm. So come on out to compete against your friends and neighbours in what should be an old fashioned hoot. The cost to participate is a donation to the Wellington Junior Farmers.
Lawn Mower Races
The Kinsmen are hosting the Western Ontario Outlaws Lawnmower Racing Club for some late afternoon entertainment of dust, speed, motors and … lawn clippings? There will be multiple classes of lawn tractor races. From the junior class, econo-modified, modified, super modified, and outlaw classes, it will be fun for the whole family. For more information check the organization’s website: www.westernontarionoutlaws.com.
Mapleton Market
The Drayton Kinette Club will be putting on its weekly market from 8am to 12pm on June 11. Stop in and get some excellent local produce, knick-knacks and maybe something for the grill.
The market takes place in the Agricultural Society hall most Saturdays in the summer.
If you are interested in being a vendor at the Mapleton Market or looking for a fun way to make the community better email the club at draytonkinettes@gmail.com. After the market shuts down, the Kinettes will be running a kids area at Kinsmen Park that will include games, races, crafts and candy, from 1 until 4pm.
The KCBS competition
The Kansas City Barbeque Society is the world’s largest sanctioning body for barbecue and outdoor cooking. These contestants take barbecue to a whole new level. Trailers are converted into some of the largest, most extravagant pits that can play host to cooking anything from chicken and ribs and even whole hogs. Over a dozen teams are vying for $4,000 in prize money and are travelling from out of province and all over the USA. Competitors will be cooking beef brisket, ribs, pulled pork and chicken and will scored by trained judges to see who the grand champion is. To learn more about the KCBS and to see when the next event is, check out www.kcbs.us.
The Backyard Barbecue
Participants can test their skills against friends and neighbours in the amateur cook-off. Competitors will be presenting three whole chicken legs and a rack of side ribs to be judged and see who is the grand champion and winner of a new gas barbecue. To sign up for the contest visit www.smokensound.com; the cost is $75 and the meat is supplied by the Kinsmen Club. All you need to bring is your finest barbecue sauce and hardware.
All types of barbecues are welcome, from pellets smokers to propane and charcoal. The backyard grillers will need to show up at 8am for a quick meeting and can start grilling immediately following for a 3:30pm chicken turn-in and a 4pm rib turn-in. The backyard grilling contest is going to be one of a kind as it will be publicly judged.
Registration for the judges runs from 11am to 2pm, at which time there will be a half-hour judging course. The cost to judge the amateur contest is $15 and there will be only a limited amount of positions. Sign up for the competition online or day of, or contact any local Kinsmen member.
Friday wing night
The Palmerston Kinettes will have their food trailer loaded up with wings and sides. Starting at 6pm they will be frying up wings and fries until 9pm. The Kinsmen Club of Drayton is proud to show off some local entertainment over the supper until 11pm.
Jeff Holdridge is playing from 7 to 9pm and the Moore boys playing from 9 to 11pm. This is an all-ages event with free admission.
Saturday dinner
A barbecued pulled pork dinner with all the fixings starts at 5pm and goes to 8pm, during which the awards for the competitions will be announced.
At 8:30pm the old arena becomes an age of majority event. With entertainment from a great line-up of local talent such as the Kyle Boyne from 6 to 8pm, Ty Baynton 8 to 10pm, and The City Boys from 10pm to 12am.
The cost for the dinner is $15 an adult and kids under 12 are free and after the dinner for the evening’s festivities will cost $15 a person.
But don’t just expect great music after the sun goes down – there will be live entertainment all afternoon. Ephraim Frey’s Olde Tyme Country starts at noon, while from 2 to 4pm local favourites Loose Change is playing, and starting the pulled pork supper off is Brendan O’Halloran.
From smokin’ good food to smokin’ good music, July 11 is going to be a day you don’t want to miss.
For competition and judging fees and other information go to www.smokensound.com.
