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Chester County Press

Bring your appetite to the Second Annual Brandywine Backyard BBQ Festival

04/22/2019 10:32AM ● By J. Chambless

Competitors will be lined up to win awards from the Kansas City Barbeque Society at the April 28 event. (File photo by Richard Gaw)

By John Chambless
Staff Writer

The sweet, smoky aroma of barbeque will fill the air at New Garden Township Park on April 28 during the second annual Brandywine Backyard BBQ Festival.

Last year’s event was a success, despite chilly winds, and organizers are hoping for a little more cooperation from the weather this year. But the fun will be the same, and the main attraction – barbequed ribs and chicken – will be better than ever.

The cooking will be a big deal, because judges from the Kansas City Barbeque Society will be evaluating the contestants and awarding cash prizes and the all-important bragging rights.

The barbeque – lots of it – will be accompanied by food trucks, including one from Victory Brewing Company and Harvest Ridge Winery, offering beer and wine to adult visitors. Other food trucks offering their specialties will be The Road Rancher, Uncle John’s BBQ, El Mercadito, 22 BBQ, Natalie’s Fine Foods, Rita’s Water Ice, Swamp Town BBQ, On The Roll and Baked of West Chester.

Two bands – The Late Ambitions and Old 442 – will be performing onstage during the event, which begins at noon and runs until 5 p.m.

Kids will love the range of activities at the festival, beginning with an inflatable obstacle course for active fun, along with ladderball and cornhole, volleyball and badminton, a gaga ball pit and Spikeball, archery, paintball target competitions, giant checkers, bubbles and Jenga, along with Twister and hula hoops and the park’s large playground.

There’s another benefit to the event besides all the fun. It’s hosted by the Chester County Council of the Boy Scouts of America, and profits will help defray the cost of scouting for young people through the Friends of Scouting Program. Specifically, scouts in the Kennett Consolidated, Unionville-Chadds Ford, Avon Grove, Octorara, Oxford and Cecil County school districts will get funds that help families buy uniforms, pay registration fees, and pay fees for camps and leadership training.

Admission to the event is $3, and all foods and beverages will be for sale. Wristbands for admission, as well as more information, is available at www.brandywinebbq.com.

To contact Staff Writer John Chambless, email [email protected].