Community center BBQ starts Friday on Hope Town Square

The smell of barbecue sauce and sizzling pork will return to the Hope Town Square Friday and Saturday with Smoke on the Square.

The 9th annual event, moved this year to May, is the largest annual fundraiser for the Community Center of Hope. 

“We are hoping for a lot of participation from families and community members, says Chelsea Warriner, executive director of the center. “Every year we want to raise as much money as possible.”

Last year’s Smoke on the Square raised nearly $7,000, Warriner says.

Proceeds from the annual event benefit the center’s food pantry and child care services.

Teams will compete to for the top three places in four categories: chicken, pork, ribs, and brisket. Each team’s BBQ will be ranked on appearance, taste, and tenderness by 25 judges. There are also categories for desserts and BBQ sauces.

The teams will be competing for prize money and bragging rights. The prize breakdown this year is $200 for first place, $150 for second and $75 for third. All teams who place also receive a trophy, Warriner says. The competition will feature more than one dozen teams, including the return Pop’s Belly BBQ, Huey’s BBQ, as well as teams from as far away as California, such as Roni’s Ribs who is returning for the third time.

The event also features a People’s Choice Award, which will be held at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Warriner says.  Attendees can sample the full line of entries and choose their favorites. Only about 100 people can take part in that portion of the event.

The Community Center is again offering its own contribution in the food line, Warriner says.

“We are also selling our food,” Warriner says. “We make our money selling food in the food line. Meals will range from $4 to $9 with brisket being the highest.”

Pulled pork can be purchased for $8, brisket for $9 and chicken for $7. A kids hot dog meal will be $4. Food will be served until it runs out. 

Warriner says one of the most popular aspects of the event is the openness that allows new and return visitors to walk around, see what the competition is all about, chat with the teams and see how their smokers are set up.

Saturday will be filled with more than just the scent of smoke and delicious eats on the barbie.

“We’ve done different things in the past,” Warriner says. “This year we have a kids’ game trailer. And we are doing a cornhole tournament at 11 a.m. Saturday.”

Registration begins at 10 a.m. and at noon there will be a shotgun start. Registration fee is $50 per team.

The Indiana Fever basketball team will be visiting as well with games, prizes and free tickets to Fever games as well, Warriner says.

Friday and Saturday evening, the square will be rockin’ with the tunes of several local bands, including the Night Owl Country Band and Brothers From Different Mothers.

Ashley Mack, administrative assistant with the Community Center, says her favorite part of this fundraiser is seeing the community come together for a great cause.

“It’s also about bringing the Community Center more to the forefront in the community and letting people know what we do,” she says.

Setup on the square begins at noon Friday. The competition runs from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, and from 11 a.m. until food is sold out on Saturday, May 18th. 

First Financial Bank is the event's title sponsor.

You can find more information at hopebbqcontest.com