2025 BIG SMOKE IN LITTLE KALAMA
IN KALAMA, WA
JUNE 27 – 29, 2025
Registration Deadline: June 23, 2025
$10,000 Prize Pool!
Team Limit - 30 Teams. A waitlist will be available.
This is a fully sanctioned traditional 4 meat PNWBA event and the Fourth Annual Big Smoke in Little Kalama Barbecue Competition in Kalama, Washington. There is a total prize purse of $10,000 plus $250 each for Anything Wings (Saturday) and Peoples Choice (Saturday and Sunday).
Open to the public for the best in BBQ sampling, the event also includes a Brewfest featuring Beer, Wine, Cider and non-alcoholic beverages, live music both Saturday and Sunday, Craft Market, Kids Games and other Vendors.
Event Management:
- Organizer: Rose Scattergood
- PNWBA Board Representative: Dale Groetsema
- PNWBA Head Judges: Steve Rubin and Jane Biehl
Event Contacts:
- Rose Scattergood, rosescattergood@gmail.com
- Dale Groetsema, 360-984-7571, dale@pnwba.com
- Steve Rubin - 206-412-0877 cell / message / text. Email: steve@pnwba.com
- Jane Biehl - jbiehl@pnwba.com
Categories:
- Chicken
- Ribs
- Pork
- Brisket
Total Prize Purse:
$10,000
Prize Pool Distribution:
To be announced prior to the event
Load In:
Friday, June 27th, 12pm to 8pm (later arrivals with prior arrangement with Contest Rep)
Saturday, June 28th, 6:00 am - 9:00 am (with prior arrangement with Contest Rep)
Site Inspection:
Saturday, June 28th, 9am to 1pm
Cooks Meeting (Required):
Saturday, June 28th, 5pm At least one member of your team is required to attend the cooks meeting.
Quiet Hours:
10:00pm to 6:00am
Jack Shot:
Sunday June 29th at 10:00am
Turn-In Schedule:
Saturday, June 28th
Any Thing Wings 2:55:00 pm to 3:04:59 pm
Sunday, June 29th
- Chicken - 10:55:00 am to 11:04:59 am
- Ribs – 11:55:00 am to 12:04:59 pm
- Pork - 12:55:00 pm to 1:04:59 pm
- Brisket - 1:55:00 pm to 2:04:59 pm
The turn-in window is 10-minutes.
Awards:
5:00 pm (or earlier when possible)
Subject to change depending on event processing.
Load Out:
After the Awards conclude on Sunday, June 29th
Sampling:
Sampling is optional but strongly encouraged for all teams.
Vending vs Sampling. Vending is selling "servings" of an item, such as a Pulled Pork Sandwich or a bowl of chili. Sampling is a 2–4-ounce portion of pulled pork, with a little sauce, or a similar sized portion of chili. Based on local Health Department regulations, we will only be sampling at this event and absolutely limited to 2 ounce or 4 ounce portions or a single piece of chicken or rib. No full meal or platters of food can be sold at this event. We appreciate your cooperation in providing standard-sized samples.
Sampling on Saturday will be cooks choosing what they are offering to the public. Suggested items to sample include up to a 2- or 4-ounce portion of sausage, Mac-n-Cheese, Bread Pudding, Brisket Street Tacos, Bacon Wrapped Anything, Jambalaya, BBQ Ramen, Brisket Chili, and Sliders. Think about Tapas and appetizers for inspiration. Of course, competition meats are always welcome, too.
On Saturday, sampling is encouraged from 11:00 am - 4:00 pm. There may be limited opportunities for some teams to sample during the Brewfest and Music events on Saturday night. Please contact the Rose Scattergood if interested in sampling on Saturday evening.
Sampling on Sunday will be competition meat (anything else will be optional). On Sunday, sampling is encouraged from 11:00 am - 4:00 pm. You choose the times and duration of sampling that works best for you.
We will also have additional vendors offering sweets and non-alcoholic beverages.
All sales will be paid for with Big Smoke in Little Kalama Orange Dice. They will be recorded and collected throughout the day on Saturday and Sunday. They sell for $3 per Dice. Teams keep 75% of the sampling Dice value. The event will keep 25% of sales proceeds.
For up to 2-ounce portions, charge one Orange Dice. For up to 4-ounce portions (or 1 chicken thigh or 1 rib), charge two Orange Dice. Except with prior approval, you should not be selling samples for three or more Orange Dice.
One team member must have a current Washington Food Handler Card. Link to online resources to acquire your Food Handler card: https://www.foodworkercard.wa.gov/
Teams shall adhere to all Health Department requirements. The Health Department will be inspecting us on Saturday. After you register for this event, we will send you a Health Department Application (very simple document this year) which you need to fill out and return as quickly as possible.
Checks for sampling will be written directly by the Big Smoke in Little Kalama and mailed to you on Tuesday, July 1st. You will be required to complete a separate W-9 between the team and the Big Smoke in Little Kalama committee. You can download or print a W-9 here. Fill it out and email to rosescattergood@gmail.com
BBQ Bingo:
New for this year, and to encourage the public to spread their purchases across as many teams as possible, each person purchasing tokens will be given a BBQ Bingo card that will list each team that we know is sampling. As they make their purchase, the teams will stamp the box for their team. The purchaser can then turn in their BBQ Bingo card for raffle tickets for some really great prizes. The more teams they patronize, the more raffle tickets they get.
Any Thing Wings competition:
There will be an Anything Wings Competition on Saturday, with turn-in at 3pm (10-minute turn-in window applies) Your entry will be judged by a team of celebrity judges using basic PNWBA criteria for Appearance, Texture and Taste. The winner will be announced and a cash prize ($250) awarded at the Awards Ceremony on Sunday. Chicken wings only - whole wing, flat and drumette, flat only, drumette only. Your choice. Just give us at least 6 pieces to judge. Most rules about garnish and presentation are relaxed. You can cook with any heat source - even electric and propane, cook any style - smoked, pan fried, wok, deep fryer. Season and sauce how you like, you can even include a small container of dipping sauce (think Ranch Dressing for Buffalo Wings {no, you cannot include carrot or celery sticks). Just the meat and the flavors you want to use in your cooking and presentation. Literally, just about anything goes. Be creative! And have fun!
Entry to the category is $25 and will be collected on-site on Saturday morning.
People's Choice:
There will be a People's Choice Competition amongst all those selling samples on Saturday and Sunday. Each event attendee will use their BBQ Bingo card to indicate their favorite BBQ team. Be sure to remind your customers how that works when they present their Bingo Card to be stamped. The winner will be announced and the cash prize ($250) awarded at the Awards Ceremony on Sunday.
Team Swag
Each team will be given 2 Big Smoke in Little Kalama T-shirts. Specify the size of each shirt that you want when you register. A limited supply of additional T-shirts will be available for purchase if you need more. Sizes are Sm, Med, Large, X-Large, 2XL, 3XL and 4XL. If you prefer your shirt in the Tall size, please specify but no guarantees as those tall sizes are universally scarce right now.
Team Requirements:
Please review the Team Rules Page, even if you are an experienced team. Each site will be inspected to meet these requirements listed in the team rules. If you are a new to competition BBQ team or new to PNWBA competitions, we recommend visiting our New Team Info page.
Inspection Reminder: Please be sure to verify the inspection requirements in the competition instructions for cooks. The head judge team will be reviewing the following items during inspection. Should the following not pass inspection, you will not be able to prepare your meats or receive a turn-in box until inspection has passed.
1. Competition meats - Meats must be held under 40 degrees and may be pre-trimmed, but may not be brined, injected or seasoned prior to inspection.
2. Coolers - Cooler must contain enough ice to maintain meats and perishable items at food-safe temperatures.
3. Fire Extinguisher - 2A40BC or 3A40BC (or larger) required at each cooksite. The needle must be in green. The extinguisher must either be tagged with a date that is 1 year or less from the competition or must have a receipt attached with the date showing within 1 year.
4. Basins - 3 basins for dish wash station.
5. Dish soap for dish wash station
6. Bottle of bleach for dish wash station
7. Hand wash station that has a 5 gallon minimum insulated container with a free flowing spigot. Example- A 5 Gallon insulated Cambro (the larger) or insulated 5 gallon cooler modified with a free flowing spigot.
8. Catch bucket for hand wash station water
9. Bleach bucket with sanitizing solution with a cloth cleaning rag for bleach bucket
10. Digital Thermometer
11. IRS W-9 Form completed online during the 2025 season prior to inspection.
Registration Fee:
Team entry fee is $195.00 USD and is non-refundable. In the event of a cancellation by the event coordinator, $182.50 will be refunded from the payment made. Regardless of the situation, a designated amount of $12.50 from the entry fee is non-refundable to cover payment and event processing expenses.
Entry to the Anything Wings category is $25 and will be collected on-site on Saturday morning.
Registration Payment Due:
Team entry fees must be paid at the time of registration.
Site Utilities:
- Power - provided by the venue, but if you are dependent on power it is recommended to bring a backup source.
- Potable Water - provided by venue
- Trash disposal – provided by venue
- Ash disposal – provided by venue
- Grease disposal – provided by venue
- Grey water disposal – provided by venue
- Ice - will be provided by the venue. Also, nearby retail outlets have ice.
- Showers are available for teams if they want to drive to a neighboring campground
Team Site Size:
20x20 – If you require a larger footprint or can fit in a smaller footprint, contact the organizer prior to the event. We really need to keep it to 20 x 20 so we can fit all the teams. Please measure your trailers and other equipment, including the hitch portion as part of your footprint. All vehicles that do not fit within your team space must be removed by 9am on Saturday and Sunday to a rock/gravel area that borders the east side of the park.
Location:
Haydu Park
253 Kalama River Road
Kalama, WA
Accommodations:
Lodging – There are hotels and campgrounds nearby if you need an overnight stay. Groceries and other retail are right in town.
