How to go
What: UCBMA Buckeye BBQ Fest
Where: The Square @ Union Centre, 9285 Centre Pointe Drive, West Chester
When: 6 to 11 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday
Cost: $5, children ages 12 and younger are free. (Weekend VIP passes are also available for purchase.)
More info: www.BuckeyeBBQFest.org
Band lineup
Friday
6 - 7:15 p.m. – The Heaters with Ben Levin
7:30 - 8:45 p.m. – The Brad Hatfield Band
9 - 11 p.m. – The Noah Wotherspoon Band
Saturday
11 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. – Ricky Nye Inc.
12:30 - 1:45 p.m. – Doug Hart Band
2 - 3:15 p.m. – Greg Schaber Band
3:45 - 5 p.m. – Chuck Brisbin & Tuna Project
6 - 7:15 p.m. – Tempted Souls Band
7:30 - 8:45 p.m. – G Miles & The Hitmen
9 - 11 p.m. – Scotty Bratcher
Blues, brews and barbecue will bring the community together for The Rotary Club of West Chester/Liberty’s annual UCBMA Buckeye BBQ Fest on Friday and Saturday at The Square @ Union Centre in West Chester.
The event will increase awareness of the West Chester/Lakota area, said Art Mathews, event chairman and Rotary Club of West Chester/Liberty member.
Giving the event high visibility in a public-friendly venue was one of factors the event committee reviewed this year, he said.
Relocating the event to downtown West Chester to The Square @ Union Centre from the previous venue on the lawn of the Voice of America Museum is one of the most significant changes, he said.
The UCBMA in the event name stands for Union Centre Boulevard Merchant Association, one of the key sponsors of the event.
About $30,000 is projected to be raised for participating charities. A hundred percent of the net profits form the event will go back into the West Chester, Liberty, Fairfield and Hamilton communities to organizations such as Reach Out Lakota and One Way Farm, among others.
In addition to raising money for dozens of local charities, more than 10,000 visitors are expected to come together for the two-day, family-friendly event, which will include world class-barbecue, fun and music as well as activities for children. Over 40 on-site vendors will offer hamburgers, hotdogs, funnel cakes and ice cream as well as local micro-brewed beer, wine, iced tea and Pepsi products. The Kids Zone will feature inflatable rides, magic shows, storytelling and a petting zoo.
Throughout the weekend, The Cincinnati Blues Society will showcase about a dozen of Southwest Ohio’s best Blues acts, including The Noah Wotherspoon Band, Ricky Nye Inc., Scotty Bratcher, Greg Schaber Band and Chuck Brisbin & Tuna Project.
A People’s Choice Award contest has been added. Eight teams will prepare BBQ and be judged by members of the public. In order to participate, individuals will purchase a ballot for $20. Public judging for the People’s Choice Award will take place from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday.
Of course, a main focus of the signature fundraising event will be the barbecue. The event is expected to attract about 38 of the nation’s top BBQ teams from all over the country, who will set up on Pit Row to compete in the Buckeye State BBQ Championship. This is the second year for the Buckeye State BBQ Championship and the third year for the event.
Teams travel from all over the United States to compete. Competing teams include area experts such as Blue Dog BBQ from Mason, Historic BBQ from Lebanon, Getta Que from Fairborn and Buckeye BBQ from Troy as well as other national favorites, such as Velvet Smoke, Monty Pigthon & The Holy Grill, Charcoal Mafia and more.
Additionally, BBQ demonstrations will be held on Friday at 7:15 and 8:45 p.m. and on Saturday at 3:15 and 7:15 p.m.
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