North Market’s Grillmasters Festival is this Weekend

Press Release:
Photos by Chris Graham

On Saturday, June 13th, the North Market celebrates the onset of summer and our favorite method of seasonal cooking – grilling! Our fourth annual Grillmasters Festival will include an amateur barbeque sauce contest, grilling demonstrations and sampling, a chef cook-off, live music and kids’ activities. It’s a great opportunity to get ideas for Fathers’ Day too!

The farmers’ market will be in full swing and augmented by special vendors including Urban Chefs and Chuck Evans’ Montezuma Brand. John Hard of CaJohn’s Fiery Foods is organizing the grilling demonstrations and promises a host of flavorful grilling recipes. You are invited to watch as recipes are prepared, taste what the presenters have created and take tips to go home and try on your own grill.

“Summer is the season in which the North Market, resplendent with local offerings, really shines,” says David Wible, Executive Director of the North Market. “From the bounty of the farmers’ market to the fantastic selection of local beef, bison, pork, lamb, goat and poultry there’s never a shortage of options of foods that would go great on the grill!”

Customers are invited to demonstrate their BBQ prowess in an amateur barbeque sauce contest that will be judged by local BBQ sauce makers.  First prize is $50 in North Market gift certificates. Returning in the “professional” category this year is the popular, “Thrilla at the Grilla.”  We give several chefs their own hibachis and charcoal and let them use their imagination as far as what they whip up on the grill. Our discerning judges will choose a champion and the public can taste their creations. The winner will take home the title “Baron of Barbeque” and $200 in North Market gift certificates.

Scheduled Grillmasters Festival activities include:

8 a.m., Farmers Market opens
9 – 11 a.m., music by Loosely Strung
9 a.m., Cooking demonstration by Stan Riley of Holy Smoke BBQ
10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Face Painting by Rita
10 a.m., Amateur BBQ Sauce Contest
11 a.m., Cooking demonstration by Alex Silbajoris, sausage making
11 a.m.- 1 p.m., bluegrass music by Slate Ridge
11 a.m.- 1 p.m., Columbus Dog Connection foster parents with adoptable dogs
12 p.m., Thrilla at the Grilla, two chefs face off for the title
1 – 3 p.m., music by One More Time String Band
3 – 5 p.m., Music by Folkwood Players
1 p.m., Cooking demonstration by CaJohn and Chef Steve of CaJohn’s Flavor & Fire
1:45 p.m., Cooking demonstration by CaJohn and Chef Steve of CaJohn’s Flavor & Fire
2:30 p.m., Cooking demonstration by Anthony Frazier of Urban Chefs
3:15 p.m., Cooking demonstration by Donte Allen of Curds & Whey

The North Market Grillmasters Festival begins at 9 a.m. and is a free event.  For more information or to enter the cooking contests, please call the North Market at (614) 463-9664 or visit www.northmarket.com.