BETHLEHEM, Pa. — ArtsQuest's first Steel City Smokeout barbecue festival won't be fat-free.
It won't be smoke-free (it's a smokeout, after all, and there even will be an exclusive seminar with Cigars International.)
And it most certainly won't be meat-free.
But it will be free.
ArtsQuest announced that it has dropped paid admission to the festival, set for noon July 20 on PNC Plaza on the SteelStacks campus during ArtsQuest's Blast Furnace Blues Festival.
The 18-and-older event, the centerpiece of which will be a brand-new barbeque competition sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbeque Society and the Mid-Atlantic BBQ Association, was announced in April with a general admission fee of $8 and $12 after July 14.
As recently as June 1, ArtsQuest was selling 50%-discounted tickets for the Smokeout during its One Day Ticket Sale.
Pitmasters Moe Cason and Bob Trudnak "are so excited about all the barbeque happening here on campus for the first time, they’re waiving general admission into the event."ArtsQuest release
ArtsQuest said in a release that pitmasters Moe Cason (who has been a contestant, judge and star on TV's "Destination America's Pitmasters" and "BBQ Pit Wars") and Bob Trudnak (a competition cook, judge and teacher with more than 600 awards) "are so excited about all the barbeque happening here on campus for the first time, they’re waiving general admission into the event."
VIP tickets still are being sold at $69 and $79 at www.SteelStacks.org for an hour early access, access to an exclusive area with a private cash bar and a complimentary "BBQ Brunch" prepared by Nick's BBQ.
Also, a 1 p.m. session with Rich Monts and Mike Piparato of Cigars International covering the history of Cigars International and Smokeable Tobaccos, from the discovery of tobacco to the Cuban Revolution to modern cigars.
Everyone who attends the session will be automatically entered into a drawing for a Cigars International Smiley’s Specials, a special branded humidor that comes with a Smiley cutter and lighter.
Existing paths and other projects
At the festival, professional and amateur teams from throughout the Mid-Atlantic region will compete in several categories for cash prizes from a $10,000 purse.
While they do, barbeque vendors will serve savory meats to satisfy the hunger caused by watching the creative grilling. Barbeque made by the competing teams will not be sold.
But you'll be able to buy barbeque from Atomic Hog, Grumpy’s BBQ, Slabs and Crabs and You Got Pork’d.
Other food vendors will be Kona Ice of Allentown,
Mon and Mel’s Sweet Scoops Ice Cream Truck and 4 Raices Street Tacos.
Registration to compete in the Master and Backyard Series Competitions is open until July 7. To register here to be a professional BBQ team.
ArtsQuest also is looking for two more teams for the Backyard competition; register here.
Trudnak and Moe Cason will teach classes in ArtsQuest Center’s Blast Furnace Room on the best methods and procedures for cooking high-end backyard BBQ with competition tips and tricks. More information is available at steelstacks.org.
The barbeque festival will be during the second day of the 11th annual Blast Furnace Blues festival, featuring two days of live rhythm and blues music happening on July 19 and July 20 at SteelStacks.
