TWENTY FOUR 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 2023 Rose Festival’s KCBS BBQ Competition – We had 27 teams this year, that is the most we have ever had since I started organizing this competition. My KCBS Competition Grand Champion was IOWA’S SMOKEY D’S BBQ, Reserve Champion was T-Rex BBQ, and my 3rd place overall was WAG’S BACKWOODS BBQ.

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 28 teams on site. This year my winners were 1st Place Hot Daddy BBQ, 2nd Place Never Easy and 3rd Place Boots BBQ. Fun little fact,  People’s Choice is open to anyone that wants to compete. In 2022 I added another category to this contest, Kid’s Choice was awarded to the 1st place Hot Daddy BBQ.

Plus…we are working out details for a Kid’s Q competition for 2024! More details will be coming.

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 15th, 2024)
2. People’s Choice Ribs competition (Friday evening, June 14th, 2024)
3. TBD–>Kid’s Q (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!