New York’s Coney Island has its famous Nathan’s hot dog-eating contest. Rockland, Maine, has a lobster-eating competition. A town in Wisconsin has, you guessed it, an annual cheese-eating contest.
If you want to have an eat-till-you-drop competition in Fort Worth, of course, there’s only one way to go – barbecue!
And so it is: On Saturday (July 22), Riscky’s Barbeque will host its 17th annual rib-eating contest at the Riscky’s Stockyards Station location (140 East Exchange Avenue). The competition will get underway at 11 a.m. with as many as 30 barbecue lovers trying eat all the Riscky’s beef ribs they can in just 60 seconds. The top qualifiers will then go head-to-head to win the top three prizes:
1st place – $500 Riscky’s gift card
2nd place – $250 Riscky’s gift card
3rd place – 100 Riscky’s gift card
Each participant must pay a $5 entry fee at the door on the day of the event, and sign-ups are first come, first-served (30 participants max). Competitors must be 18 years of age or older, and minors are eligible if accompanied by a parent or guardian. All participants will receive a complimentary Riscky’s T-shirt.
If gorging on ribs is not your cup of, uh, barbecue sauce, there’ll be plenty more to do in the Stockyards on Saturday as the Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District hosts a series of celebratory events in honor of the National Day of the American Cowboy.
The Stockyards’ National Day of the American Cowboy was voted the “Best Cowboy Tribute Event” in the U.S. by American Cowboy magazine, so rest assured a good time will be had by all, as the saying goes.
More than 25,000 visitors are expected to attend the celebration, which will feature a variety of family friendly activities from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. The festivities will include a lively Western parade, armadillo races, cow milking, fiddling, face painting, live music, comedy gunfight shows, the Fort Worth Herd cattle drive, Stockyards Championship Rodeo and much more. In addition, all attendees who wear a cowboy hat will receive $2 off admission to one of the Stockyards’ newest attractions – the John Wayne: An American Experience Museum.
“We’re igniting the flames and fueling the passion for Fort Worth’s annual legendary food challenge,” Riscky’s co-owner Eddie Sullivan said in a news release. “With each sizzle and crackle, we are a testament to Fort Worth’s rich history, capturing the essence of the Stockyards, the courage of cowboys, and the iconic flavors of barbeque. Join us on July 22nd at Riscky’s, where the aroma of mouthwatering ribs will fill the air, and witness Fort Worth’s best food warriors go head-to-head.”
About Riscky’s
Riscky’s was founded in 1927 by Polish immigrants Mary and Joe Riscky, who opened its first location – Riscky’s Grocery & Market – on Azle Avenue near the historic Fort Worth Stockyards. This original location is still open and operating today after four generations of Riscky family ownership. Over the past 96 years, Riscky’s has expanded and evolved into three full-service Riscky’s Barbeque restaurants, three quick casual Riscky’s BBQ & Deli restaurants, the fine-dining Riscky’s Steakhouse, Trailboss Burgers, a full-service catering department, and a retail sales division. For more information, call 817-624-8662 or visit Riscky’s.com