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NEW ULM -- New and improved barbecued pork events take place Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 30 and Oct. 1.
Events happen at Schell's Brewery Saturday and Turner Hall Sunday.
Smokin at Schell's, a free, new event begins at 7 a.m. Saturday with 20 barbecue ribs and chicken teams from New Ulm, Mankato and the Twin Cities competing for trophies and cash prizes.
A keg of Schell's Smoked Helles beer will be tapped at 9 a.m. Food trucks with Turner ribs, more barbecue and donuts open at 10 a.m. The bier halle opens at 11 a.m. Music starts at noon.
"There's been chili cook-offs here, but not rib cook-offs. We think a smoking grill goes good in the fall. We wanted to team with Turner Hall. We think this can turn out into something really cool," said Schell's Visitor Center General Manager Curt Van Asten.
The Rain Kings, formerly known as Ill-Gotten Booty, a Mankato-based rock band with acoustic and electric roots of 70s, 80s, 90s and some of their own tunes, begins playing at noon. Andrea Lynn will sing and play guitar from 4-6 p.m.
Porktoberfeast continues at 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at Turner Hall. The Brandt/Larson Duo, sponsored by Gary and Joleen Koch, will provide live music.
"Turner Hall has done a rib feast event with ribs and drive-through takeout for a number of years, but we were looking to change up the event a little bit, so we talked to former attendees and Christensen Farms," said Boettger. "We're excited. The park will be set up like July 4th live music, a beer garden and food flights (rib sample sizes) with different sauces."
Tickets are $25 for the meal. Hot dogs will be available for kids. Tickets are available at Turner Hall, the New Ulm Chamber and Schell's Brewery.
"This is one of our biggest fundraisers for the year. We invite everyone to come out," Boettger added.
"We'd like to thank our sponsors and supporters Christensen Farms, Schwartz Farms and Wakefield Pork," she said. "We couldn't do it without them."
"Christensen Farms, Schwartz Farms and Wakefield Pork have been long-time sponsors of the early springtime rib event at Turner Hall, known as Ribfest," said Christensen Farms Communications Manager Amber Portner. "In evaluating that spring event, we thought there would be a great opportunity to shift it to the fall in recognition of National Pork Month. While planning the event at Turner Hall with Andrea, we learned Schell's was planning to host a smoking cook-off event at the brewery that same weekend as Porktoberfeast, with Smokin' at Schell's on Saturday and Ribbon' at Turner Hall on Sunday."
Portner said Christensen Farms, Schwartz Farms and Wakefield Port are proud sponsors of the ribs competitors will be smoking Saturday as well as rib flights sold at Turner Hall Sunday.
For more information, visit https://bbqandbrewcookoff.com/