It was just after 6 p.m. and the centerpiece of this year's Har-B-Q -- an ice sculpture weighing more than 300 pounds -- had just been set in place. Like most objects at the event, it didn't take long for the sculpture to be put to use involving alcohol. Attendees lined up for liberal pours of Cactus Juice, Hot Damn and several mystery liquors. "Do you know how frosty cold that is?" One shirtless man said before volunteering for a second round. Ninety minutes later, the same man was collecting a huge engraved trophy for best beef.
Har-B-Q is supposedly a barbecue competition but as two competitors confided, it really is about the drinking. Not that the teams didn't care about the meats and sides, but they were mostly there to have a good time -- and to ensure everybody else had a good time as well.
The crowd was the happiest and the friendliest of any barbecue event I've been too, not to mention the fullest.
"Take another piece. We have another pizza coming off the grill soon."
Mark Glaves of the team Swine Flu: Bacon's Revenge was encouraging me
and everybody standing around the tent to try the barbecue pizza they
had prepared for the open category. Before Glaves could dish any out, though, the pizza
was tipped off the table landed face-down on the ground. In a serious invitation-type
competition, such a snafu would have caused cussing and anger. Here
teammate TJ Thomas just laughed, "Where is our open item? You're standing
on it," he told one of the five judges.
the way the team It's Five O'Clock Somewhere had just returned from its
third liquor run. Next to them, event founder Brian Harbaugh's team Grilligan's
Island was doling out full cups of its open-category Hawaiian
Punch and yes, it did pack quite a punch. Each member of the team was
dressed up as a character from the team's namesake show. Gilligan (Jerome
Stokes) was one of the event's co-founders and couldn't believe how much
it's grown. "This year turn-out is down and still look at
this crowd. We used to have an award for worst barbecue but we got rid
of that because, well I don't know all these people. We realized
everybody out here is working hard and we don't want to hurt the feeling somebody
we don't know ... yeah some of these dishes aren't so hot but some of
these dishes are like damn. How did they make it that good?"
Stokes
was absolutely correct. No team had great offerings across the board
but each had one or two that would have won awards at many a
competition. The highlight was It's Five O'Clock Somewhere's
amazingly tender beef (the shots worked!) which won raves from everyone who tried it. The
team would go on to win "best overall" award.
The party was
still going strong when I left. Several members of Grilligan's were
hanging out in a different tent and nearly every team had one member
gathering drinks from Five O'Clock Somewhere's open bar. I waved goodbye to a competitor I'd met earlier that evening, prompting him to yell, "You
leaving? Take some ribs and beer!"
Generosity is still going strong in Olathe.
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Since this was your first time, you have a lot to learn about the tradition of the event and how much it means to all of those who attend. I do need to correct your statement that it is all about the drinking. It is about a day filled with food, family, friends and fun! Brian captured the essence of day when he told me it is "a day you'll always remember with friends you'll never forget".
These special people are all a part of out extended family and I love them as if they were my own!
Thank you for your coverage.
Patricia Harbaugh
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