TROY – Troy area residents can enjoy some good barbecue for an even better cause at the third annual Smoke N For The Kids festival and fundraiser from Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024 at 8 a.m. to Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024 at 4 p.m. The jam-packed, family-friendly festival features live musical entertainment, the Rodz n Ribs Car Show, and much more, with proceeds allowing the Troy Edwardsville Shrine Club to continue supporting the Ainad Shriners and local communities.
This year’s Smoke N For The Kids event will be held at Tri-Township Park at 410 Wickliffe St. in Troy. The live music lineup kicks off on Saturday with American Bluegrass Drive from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m., followed by Joints 22 from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. and Blue Marlin Band from 6 to 10 p.m. Last but not least, White Trash Millionaires will take the stage on Sunday from 12 to 4 p.m.
The Rodz n Ribs Car Show, hosted by Southern Illinois Street Rod Association, will be held on Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024 starting at 9 a.m. with awards at 12 p.m. Gary Apperson, president of the Troy-Edwardsville Shrine Club, said the event will feature over 100 cars and farm equipment including tractors new and old.
Apperson joined event organizer John Koot to share more about everything happening at the Smoke N For The Kids festival and the purpose behind it on Our Daily Show! on Riverbender.com.
“We start at noon on Saturday with our Opening Ceremonies, and we have the Triad High School dance team coming out dancing,” Apperson said. “We have the choir coming out to sing the national anthem for us and present the colors, and then the competition begins.
Koot described the event as “a festival with a competition” in support of a good cause.
“The purpose, of course, is to help raise money for our Shrine activities, but it is a professional barbecue competition,” Koot said. “It’s a backyard barbecue competition, it’s a State Cookoff Association (SCA) competition.
“We anticipate to have at least 25 pro teams out there, probably an equal number of backyard teams and an equal number of SCA teams.”
Koot clarified that while event attendees won’t be able to sample the barbecue being judged in this year’s competition (due to portions, health permit requirements and more), they will be able to enjoy plenty of great food from several vendors at the event, including past and present competitors.
“All the food vendors are former or current competition competitors, so it’s all competition food as opposed to the processed stuff you get at some of the barbecue places,” he said.
Visitors can also enjoy a “Bounce House Village” of multiple bounce houses, face painting, a petting zoo, axe throwing, and much more at this year’s festival. See the Smoke N For The Kids website or Facebook page for more details.
For more insights into this year’s Smoke N For The Kids fundraiser, see the full interview with Apperson and Koot at the top of this story or on Riverbender.com/video.
