TWENTY THREE years ago the KCBS competition came to town adding excitement and the smell of BBQ to our small town celebration.

State Center’s Annual Rose Festival features the longest lasting official KCBS BBQ competition in the state of IOWA!

Quick recap of 2022 Rose Festival’s KCBS BBQ Competition – We had 32 teams this year, that is the most we have ever had since I started organizing this competition. My KCBS Competition Grand Champion was Hot Daddy’s BBQ, Reserve Champion was Hogline, and my 3rd place overall was SHIGGIN & GRINNIN.

I also host a People’s Choice Rib contest with a limit of 10 teams. With this contest I had 1 team that wasn’t able to compete in the KCBS competition, so in total we had 33 teams on site. This year my winners were 1st Place Matty Macks, 2nd Place Bestie Q and 3rd Place BambQ. Fun little fact about Bestie Q, this team is a couple of Best Friends that were 12 and 13 year old girls from Newton, IA. People’s Choice is open to anyone that wants to compete. This year I added another category to this contest, Kid’s Choice was awarded to the 1st place BambQ.

Plus…we are working out details for a Steak Cook-off competition like you have never seen in IOWA!

Entering the competition: Visit the BBQ Entry page to learn more about and/or enter  the competition online or download the PDF on link above. If you fill out the online form you do not need to mail PDF copy. 

1. Official KCBS sanctioned event (Judging on Saturday, June 17th, 2023)
2. People’s Choice Ribs competition (Friday evening, June 16th, 2023)
3. TBD–>Official Steak Cookoff (Judging on Friday)<–

Certified KCBS Judges:  Click here to direct you to the BBQ Judge entry page to complete an official judging entry form online or download the PDF on link above. If you fill out the online form you do not need to mail PDF copy.

Visitors to the Rose Festival are grateful every year to our BBQ entrants for providing the enticing aromas and delicious sampling of ribs throughout the weekend!