Lip Smackin’ Good Times in Bixby
Oklahoma’s most popular barbeque and music festival is soon to fire up again!
By: Sheryl Sowell | Category: Recreation/Leisure | Issue: May 2009
Jake and Shelly Yarbrough, owners of Jake’s Place BBQ, will be one of the vendors at this year’s Bixby BBQ’n Music Festival. As a competitor, Jake’s Place won the festival’s People’s Choice Award last year.
Oklahoma’s most popular barbeque and music festival is soon to fire up again! On May 8 and 9, the 8th annual Bixby BBQ’n Music Festival welcomes barbeque teams from across the country to compete for cash and prizes. This year’s festival also has an expanded entertainment schedule, highlighting popular singers and groups from all genres of music. Officially sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbeque Society and an official State of Oklahoma Barbeque Competition, the winner receives automatic entrance into the prestigious American Royal Barbeque competition held in Kansas City in October.
Jake Yarbrough won the People’s Choice Award at the festival last year. Jake began entering barbecue competitions in 2001 and because his food was so well-received, he decided to open his own business, Jake’s Place BBQ, last year. “We can cater for any number of people,” says Jake. “We also sell our famous YarBQ sauce, which has helped us win a lot of competitions. People love it – we’re known for having the delicious white barbecue sauce.”
Jake and his wife, Shelly, are excited to be a vendor for the first time at the festival. For more information about Jake’s Place BBQ, go online to www.jakesplacebbq.com or call (918) 698-6046.
The Bixby BBQ’n Music Festival is held at Washington Irving Memorial Park, south of 131st on Memorial. Admission is free, and parking is available at $5 per vehicle load. Visitors can stroll through the park, chatting with competing team members and enjoying the wonderful smoky aromas from the many grills. Gates open Friday evening, May 8, at 5, and festivities continue until 11 p.m. Saturday’s hours are 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Taster Kits will be available Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. For $5, visitors can taste samples from the 80-90 competitors in all five categories – sausage, chicken, ribs, pork and brisket – and vote for their favorites for the People’s Choice Award. Beautiful handmade, one-of-a-kind platters or plates are awarded to the first-place winners in each of the five categories, as well as to the Grand Champion, Reserve Grand Champion, third place overall, and People's Choice. Prizes will be given on Saturday at 4.
Vendors, including Jake's Place BBQ and Texas Roadhouse, will be offering food for sale throughout both days.
The festival, created by the Rotary Club of Bixby, is designed for family fun. “It’s a wonderful one-of-a-kind experience everybody will enjoy!” says Mark Musser, event chair. A special area especially for kids will offer a Jupiter Jump, a giant slide, miniature horses, face painting, clowns and more. Wristbands for the kids’ area are $10.
The Bixby BBQ’n Music Festival is a favorite stop of Oklahoma’s motorcycle enthusiasts and riding clubs. Special secured parking in “The Pen” is where hundreds of shining bikes are admired by all ages. This year’s festival is a scheduled stop on the “Cancer Sucks” Poker Run.
Headlining Friday’s entertainment schedule is the area’s favorite Fabulous Mid Life Crisis Band. Ben Kilgore and Candy Coburn are also slated to perform. Saturday’s lineup includes The Wanda Watson Band, The Red Dirt Rangers, Travis Kidd & The High Mids, David Dover, Mary Cogan, Admiral Twin, and The Plumbers.
The Bixby BBQ’n Music Festival is organized and produced by volunteers from the Rotary Club of Bixby. Presenting sponsor is MidFirst Bank. Area businesses provide monetary sponsorship of the event.
Presenting sponsor MidFirst Bank will have their new Fundraising Van at the event. This van has two coin counters in it, and guests are invited to bring their pocket change and their saved-up coins from their closets and dump them in the coin counters. The donations go to Coins for Kids and will be matched dollar for dollar by MidFirst Bank, up to $5,000. All proceeds will be used for Bixby Kids and the education programs sponsored and provided by the Rotary Club of Bixby.
Over the course of seven years, the festival has earned over $325,000 in profits, 90 percent of which has been given back to the community. Past proceeds have supported numerous local projects and organizations: a playground at the Daily Family YMCA, projects of the Bixby Community Outreach Center, the Rotary Club of Bixby Amphitheater, the Bixby Public Schools electronic marquis, and $8,000 per year in scholarships for Bixby Public Schools.
The Rotary Club of Bixby is a part of the larger Rotary International. Rotary is an organization of business and professional leaders united worldwide who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world.
For more information about the Bixby BBQ’n Music Festival, visit www.bixbybbqfestival.com.
For more information, contact
Bixby BBQ’n Music Festival
(918) 365-8550
About Author Sheryl Sowell
Sheryl Sowell was born and raised in Tulsa, OK. She graduated from Will Rogers High School and received her Bachelor of Arts in English from Northeastern State University in 2007. She has worked for Value News as editor, writer and advertising copywriter since 2008. She enjoys meeting and interviewing people for Value News articles, learning about their backgrounds, and helping to promote their businesses and local events. In her free time, she enjoys reading, trying new recipes and crafts from Pinterest, attending concerts and sporting events, and spending time with family and friends. Sheryl lives in Tulsa with her fiancé Paul, their daughter Scarlett, and their two dogs, Gunner and Boo.
Bixby BBQ’n Music Festival
For more information, contact:
Bixby BBQ’n Music Festival
Bixby BBQ’n Music Festival Online:
More about Bixby BBQ’n Music Festival:
More ArticlesCurrent Coupons/OffersSubscribe
For Free!