Smokin’ contest, Challenge, concert making for busy day at City Square

    Saturday will be a busy day in Imperial with events at City Square and the Chase County Courthouse lawn, not to mention Saturday’s start to the State Jr. Legion baseball tournament at Campbell Park.
    The Smokin’ on Broadway BBQ contest has fielded 16 teams. They will start cooking Friday night after teams receive chicken, ribs, pork butts and brisket.
    After months of planning, the Chase County Challenge fundraiser has drawn 21 organizations, church groups and other non-profits for a day of fundraising starting at 4 p.m. It’s sponsored by the Imperial Community Foundation Fund.
    Then, after the BBQ awards and meal, a concert at 7 p.m. will start on a special covered stage with CW & Twenty Hands High on the City Square grassy area along Broadway.
    Two blocks north, the SW Nebraska Entrepreneurs will be holding their annual summer Sell-A-Bration featuring crafts and other goods starting at 9 a.m. Saturday.
    Earlier this summer, city officials approved the closing of Court Street between 7th and 8th Sts. and West 8th Street between Broadway and Court St. on Saturday.
    This year, West 7th Street was not included in the street closing due to the baseball tournament at Campbell.
    City Square will be fenced off for the day with separate wrist bands for those 21 and older and those under 21 distributed. That’s so the chamber can keep a count on attendance. Alcohol sales on site begin at 4 p.m.
Smokin’ contest
    This year, the Imperial Chamber of Commerce teamed up with the Midwest BBQ Association to put on Smokin’ on Broadway, said Shawn Jaeger, Chamber committee member.
    Their coordination has allowed wider advertising of the event, which is drawing teams from Nebraska, Colorado and Kansas.    
    They’ll be vying for the overall 1st and 2nd place prize money, in addition to 1st and 2nd place cash in each of the four meat categories. Local judges will place winners on a point system, Jaeger said.
    In addition, teams have the option to enter the baked bean contest for an extra $10. Judges will decide the top recipe in a winner-take-all format.
    The beans will be judged at 3:30 p.m., followed by the chicken, ribs, pork butt and brisket in half-hour increments.
    At 6 p.m., a meal served at City Square will include the contest’s BBQ meats and beans, with chips and a drink for $10 a plate.
    Smokin’ winners will be announced before the concert.
Concert at 7 p.m.
    Music will fill the block and beyond starting at 7 p.m. when CW & Twenty Hands High, an Americana, country, rock group from Denver, performs.
    Jaeger said their free concert will be enhanced with a covered stage with lights and sound from Mega Music in Sterling, Colorado.
    In addition to the band’s original work, CW & Twenty Hands High also plays a variety of music from the Allman Brothers Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Johnny Cash, George Strait, Merle Haggard, to more recent country hits from Chris Stapleton, Luke Combs and Cody Johnson.
    “We play a lot of up-tempo songs because we like to keep the party going. Our show has to make people want to dance. My motto is, ‘I want to keep the dancers on the floor the entire night, period,’” said CW Wooten, the band’s founder, singer, songwriter and guitarist.
    Jaeger encourages people to bring camp chairs or blankets for seating.
Craft fair at courthouse
    Close to 20 vendors are expected for the Summer Sell-A-Bration craft fair featuring creations from the SW Nebraska Entrepreneurs.
    They’ll be headquartered two blocks north of City Square on the courthouse lawn.
    Member Cindy Hudson said there will be something for everyone including crafts, baked goods, wood decor, yard art, jewelry and more.
    Sales start at 9 a.m. and Hudson said they’ll stay open as long as they are busy.