Ribtoberfest set to return in McAlester
Aug. 26—An Oktoberfest-style community event and rib competition will return this year.
Jeremy Beaver, chairperson of the McAlester Makers competition committee, said last year's inaugural Ribtoberfest brought a great response and organizers hope the free community block-party event is another hit this year.
"We just want people to come have fun at a free event here in town," Beaver said.
Organizers created a Facebook event on the Grillmarks Festival Series account with all available information and updates.
The event, sponsored by Big V Feeds and Simply Country Ranch, is set for Nov. 5 in downtown McAlester along Choctaw Avenue between Fifth and Third Streets.
Competitors receive two full racks of pork spareribs and submit five individual ribs for blind judging at the end — with the winner awarded $2,000.
The ribs must be prepared on site using any preparation method and will be judged based on taste, texture, and appearance.
This year's Best Bite Challenge is a beef slider competition. Teams receive about 3 pounds of ground chuck from Simply Country Ranch's Scottish Highland herd. Each team submits five slider burgers roughly two inches wide to be judged on taste, appearance, originality, overall impression.
First place in the Best Bite Challenge will win $1,500.
"The goal is that the beef will be the star of the slider," Beaver said. "Any sort of bun that they want to use — they don't even have to use bread. They have to use some sort of package to put it in, but we want people to use their imagination and come up with some really unique things."
Organizers also plan to award $1,000 to the winner of a people's choice category — with details on how the contest works to be released at a later date.
The event will again feature live music, games, biergartens, college football on the big screen, and lots of fun and food.
Each team's $125 entry fee covers all competitions and includes two T-shirts, foil pans, gloves and gifts.
Competitors can register on the event's Facebook page and are encouraged to sign up well in advance as the event is capped at 30 teams.
Grillmarks is organized by McAlester Makers Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in McAlester dedicated to promoting economic stability and growth by cultivating and equipping local entrepreneurs, artisans, and the community in which they live.
The Grillmarks Festival Series started after Beaver competed in steak competitions for years and then talking with Vic Wheeler, Damon Mascato, Zach Prichard, and Cully Stevens about organizing similar events in McAlester.
Organizers wanted to organize fun events for people to enjoy in McAlester and the first Grillmarks steak competition was held in 2017 with a dozen teams. It grew to 20 teams the next year and more than two dozen teams in 2019 before COVID-19 concerns led to a cancellation in 2020.
The Grillmarks steak competition returned in May 2021 with several teams and locals enjoying games, free food, music and fun on Choctaw Avenue in McAlester.
Contact Adrian O'Hanlon III at aohanlon@mcalesternews.com
