Lambs Farm to hold BBQ fest

World barbecue champions Scotty Johnson and Mike Wozniak will be among the competitors to come once again to Libertyville to show off their best barbecue.

Lambs Farm will hold its second annual Barn Burner BBQ, a spicy food festival Friday and Saturday in conjunction with its Haunted Harvest.

The Barn Burner BBQ, sponsored by The Cubby Bear in Lincolnshire, will feature a state championship barbecue competition sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue Society.

Pit masters from across the country will pull their cookers into the farm starting Friday for an Illinois State Championship Barbecue Competition.

The competition will feature four categories of barbecue to be judged on taste, tenderness and appearance.

Frank Brenner, Lambs Farm's communications coordinator, said the competitors take the event seriously but also make it fun.

From 5 to 10 p.m., guests can mingle with the barbecue experts. Brenner said barbecue takes some time to master and it is always valuable to speak with the competitors to ask questions about cuts of meat, sauces and marinades.

For those who want to eat more than talk, Lambs Farm also will offer barbecue and fixings served up by the Cubby Bear and Uncle Bubb's Restaurant, one of the vendors competing in the event.

"They can purchase authentic barbecue competition quality food at the event," he said.

Also on Friday, competitors who are entering the barbecue competition will cook up their tastiest hot wings in hopes of being named the best. Guests are invited to judge the entries as well as dance to live music.

The Barn Burner BBQ continues from 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Saturday, starting with the Comcast Chili Challenge.

This pits amateur and professional chili chefs against one another in a competition to be judged by those attending the Barn Burner BBQ.

During the event, guests can purchase a tasting spoon for $3 and sample the gourmet chili being served by the competitors.

At noon, the pit masters will begin turning in their entries, and judging will begin. An awards ceremony will follow to announce category winners and the Barn Burner's Grand Champion.

If you go

What: Barn Burner BBQ

Where: Lambs Farm, located off of Route 176, east of the tollway, near Libertyville

When: 5 to 10 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday

Cost: Free to spectators

For information: Call (847) 362-4636 or visit www.lambsfarm.org