Northern Nevada’s favorite event for food aficionados, the Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-Off is back this Labor Day Weekend for its 33rd year in a row. Beginning today, August 31 through September 5, smoking grills, music, and a craft festival will be taking over Victorian Square.
This weekend, 21 rib cookers will be conjuring up tasty ribs in an attempt to take home a piece of the $19,500 cash purse while feeding barbecue lovers in this high-volume competition. Around 250,000 pounds of pork ribs are served at this annual event, and attendees also can take part in kid-friendly activities, do a little shopping at the massive artisan fair, and live entertainment every evening during the 6-day long festival.
Local Sparks’ favorites such as BJ’s Barbecue will be serving up BBQ pork ribs and more. It won Best Sauce in 1992, took first place in the Cook-Off in 1998, and took fourth in 2010. Its full-blown restaurant right down the road on E. 80 Victorian Avenue will be open and offering breakfast, lunch, and dinner, selling its signature Kickass Fries, Bloody Mary’s, and s’mores made with marshmallows roasted over the open fire. Git-R-Smoked out of Fernley will also be back, vying to reclaim the title of Best Sauce that it won in 2019.
Live Music
On Wednesday, August 31, there will be a band playing on the Main Stage starting at 7 p.m. (except on Monday, September 5 when David Nail will play at 2 p.m.). Caleb Johnson is kicking of the live entertainment on Wednesday, followed by Adam Sanders playing on Thursday (September 1), Fuel playing on Friday, Eddie Montgomery playing on Saturday, and Jefferson Starship to play on Sunday.
Music starts at 2 p.m. on the Plaza Stage, with local favorites such as White Water, the Jason King Band, and Milton Merlos playing in the afternoon, and The Heidi Incident, Jake’s Garage Band, and Sierra Roc playing at night. Visit nuggetribcookoff.com for a full schedule of live entertainment.
Free Shuttles to Get to the Event
The RTC (Regional Transportation Commission) will be running two free shuttles to and from the event so that you can enjoy quick and convenient access without the hassle of finding parking. One of the shuttles will be going to and from the Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center August 31-September 4 from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Monday, September 5 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The other shuttle will be running from the Greenbrae Shopping Center to Victorian Square on Wednesday, August 31-Sunday, September 4 from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Monday, September 5 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Don’t Forget to Vote
Rib Cook-Off attendees are encouraged to vote for their favorite ribs by visiting the nuggetribcookoff.com website and clicking on the “Vote Here” link for their favorite barbecue cookers to win the People’s Choice Award. People can vote once per day from Wednesday, August 31 starting at 10:30 a.m. through Sunday, September 4 at 9 p.m.. The Rib Cook-Off Awards Ceremony will take place on the Plaza State at 2 p.m. on Monday, September 5 where the winner of the People’s Choice Award will also be announced.
The Rib Cook-Off festival will be open from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday and 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday. Admission, parking, and entertainment are free; visit nuggetribcookoff.com for more information.
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