HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 1, 2013 — A5
FALL FUNFEST
Barbecue and FunFest go hand in hand The cook-off has several meat categories, including chicken, pulled pork, pork ribs and brisket. A dessert category, too. The grand champion will take home $1,000 in prize money and then go on to compete in the KCBS national invitation event. “As far as our local contest, it just continues to grow,” Keifer said. “I think it’s a huge part of Fall FunFest and provides that whole barbecue experience, which is very competitive. And if you’ve never seen that before... it’s a whole other level of the street fair.” Some of the competitors are also food vendors — which means festival-goers can
judge for themselves who they think is the best. “People can go talk to the grillers, pick up a few tips, eat some good barbecue and then go listen to some great music and enjoy activities with the kids,” Keifer said. The cook-off heats up with a sausage category on Friday night, Sept. 6, and then the KCBS categories on Saturday, Sept. 7. “We’re really proud to carry on our parents’ legacy,” said Keifer, referring to her father as well as her mother, Dean, who died in 2010. “The cook-off has had a great history, and I hope it continues.”
Ty Kernea | Herald-Citizen
Do Rag Q of Nashville were the grand champions of last year’s cook-off. From left are team members Ram Trevino, Richard Finley and Mark Kirsch; Christy Lee, who presented the award; and team members Billy Carroll and David Wilson.
By AMY DAVIS HERALD-CITIZEN Staff
COOKEVILLE — As Fall FunFest gears up for its 18th year on the Putnam County Courthouse Square, many have one thing in particular on their mind. Barbecue. Which is true of Melinda Keifer, economic and community development coordinator for the City of Cookeville. But it’s also a family thing for Keifer and her sister, Julie Lee, as their father was there in the beginning of what has come to be known as “The Tony Stone Cook-Off” after his death in 2011. “Dad was mayor in the 1980s and started the event,” she said. “Back then it was called the Great Hamburger Cook-Off, and it was held at Tennessee Tech.” After a few years, the cook-off became a barbecue event. “It was Dad’s dream that we have an event that really focused on food and that sense of community,” Keifer. “He always loved grilling and families gathering around.” Then Keifer became executive director of CityScape, a position she held for 11 years,
during which time Fall FunFest was born. It wasn’t long after that the cook-off became part of the festival. “We combined the Cookeville Cook-Off and Fall FunFest and WCTE’s Stations of Imagination,” she said. Keifer explained that The Tony Stone Cook-Off isn’t just any barbecue contest — it’s sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue Society, of which Stone served as chairman of the board for several years. It’s the world’s largest organization of barbecue and grilling enthusiasts with more than 15,000 members worldwide dedicated to promoting and enjoying barbecue. The cook-off at Cookeville’s Fall FunFest is one of more than 400 barbecue contests sanctioned by KCBS nationwide. It’s a draw for people from all over, Keifer said. “We have 42 teams from six different states, and they’re pretty much competition teams,” she said. “You’ve got some that just do a regional circuit, but we’ve got teams coming out of Texas, California... They’re professional barbecue competitors. So, for our contest, you really have all levels.”
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