Smoketober Returns To Downtown Ottawa

The award-winning Smoketober Fest returns to downtown Ottawa’s Jordan Block on Saturday, Oct. 12. The famed backyard barbecue cooking competition will run from noon to 5 p.m., featuring free live music, rib sampling and whiskey and bourbon tastings to complement the festivals’s centerpiece contest.

Competitors begin some of the cooking Friday night, with a kick-off tailgate party – this no-pro event will showcase 24 chefs/teams. Each chef/team will receive 10 chicken thighs, two racks of baby back ribs, two bone-in Boston butts and one whole brisket. After hours of slowly smoking their meats, participants will receive awards for the best dishes in five categories: chicken, ribs, pork, a people’s choice pick for ribs and, new for 2024, a brisket class.

Each team is allocated a 20-by-20-foot cooking area in Ottawa’s Jordan Block, with open viewing for spectators. All entrants are amateur backyard chefs using charcoal, pellets, wood or natural gas to cook their culinary creations. Cooking begins Friday night for brisket, and at 7 a.m. the following morning for all other competition categories. Judges will sample chicken at 1 p.m., ribs at 2:30 p.m., pork at 4 p.m. and brisket at 5 p.m.

Not cooking but still want to participate in the barbecue fun? Guests can purchase food tickets and order from an a la carte menu that includes ribs and coleslaw, pulled-pork sandwiches and coleslaw, and other items such as chili, pulled-pork nachos and mac ‘n’ cheese.

There also will be whiskey/bourbon tastings priced at $15 for a glass and a tasting ticket entry fee. Provided by Plant Witch Brewing Co., the Barrels & Bites Bourbon Tasting will highlight exciting offerings like Redwood Empire, Still Austin, Dark Arts, Old Forester, Eagle Rare, Blanton’s, Col. E.H. Taylor, McKenna 10 year, Blue Run, and Garrison Brothers Lady Bird.

An Old Rip Van Winkle Bourbon Raffle also is planned. For $20 entry, participants will have the chance to win a bottle of 10-year-old bourbon. This bourbon is valued at more than $1,500 dollars. Bottled at 107 proof and brimming with complex, contrasting flavors, Old Rip Van Winkle’s 10-Year-Old Bourbon is a scintillating and spicy expression of the Kentucky distiller’s versatility and willingness to push boundaries.

Classic rock troupe The Ashton Creek Band will take the stage throughout the day, providing free live music for the festivities. Front Street Creamery will be onsite to serve up artisan, hand-scooped ice cream and other tasty treats.

For more information on Smoketober Fest and to learn about this year’s limited-edition merch offerings, head to www.visitottawail.com and follow the Ottawa Illinois Visitors Center on Facebook.