Sometimes you encounter a great idea for the first time and wonder how that was unknown to you by then. These folks in Osage get that compliment this time. And no, it is not for their KCBS sanctioned barbecue cook off. It is for their event the night before the barbecue competition.
We’ve all heard of “The Bite of…” pick a city, or the “Taste of…” pick a different city. The format is typically your local restaurateurs serve sample size portions of their fare at a good price. Well, if you have spent 20 years hosting a state championship barbecue cooking competition, the night before the event stands out as a really good time to have your, in this case, ‘Taste of Osage’. Which is what they do, including barbecue favorites, moink balls and hot mess mac ‘n’ cheese.
This year it is:
4/5/2024 – 4/6/2024
Smoke in the Spring
517 South 1st Street
Osage City, KS 66523
(785) 528-4610
[email protected]
This event is a Master Series event for KCBS and a State Championship event. In 2023 over one hundred teams competed for a share of $25,000 in prize money. The Master Series categories were Chicken, Pork Ribs, Pork, and Brisket. The Grand Championship team, Janky Leg BBQ, took first in the ribs and placed in other categories. The event also included a competition in the Turkey Smoke Series.
And there’s the alternative cooking category, the “Kid’s Q”, divided by age groups into two categories. Just the right opportunity to get the next generation of pitmasters smoking and sweating for this thing called barbecue.
This will be the 21st year for Osage to host the Smoke in the Spring event. The first night activities typically last late, with Fireworks after 9, and a band playing well after that. The venue, Jones Park, is a very well suited to this kind of event. It’s spacious with great parking, also being home to most of the city’s athletic fields, swimming pools, community building along with fairgrounds and such. In other words, lots of space to have some fun while cooking up great ‘cue.
