If you want to make the best contest out there it is all about relationships. Relationships with your teams, your judges, your spectators, and your sponsors.
DISCLAIMER : The following are a collection of ideas from many contests past, not specific to any one contest. so dont flame me organizers ;-)
Just a few ideas:
For the teams:
1) Be totally open and honest with the teams, if there is a problem with anything just let everyone know whats goin on, don't try to cover it up. This is the ABSOLUTE WORST thing you can ever do.
Give all your volunteers little notebooks and a pen. If someone asks them a question they don't know, have them repond, and I quote - "I don't know but I will find out" then they write it down. They then write down the answer given and that way there is no room for mis-translation or paraphrasing.
Organize a potluck or pizza party for teams the night before the contest
A contest here in Western New York gives teams FREE BEER WRISTBANDS...we all love cooking that comp - it rocks
if possible provide free services such as free ice and delivery, trash pickup at booths, and free coffee and donuts the morning of the comp.
Try to get 100% veteran CBJ
Set your prize money at what you did last year, then publically announce a scale increasing the prize pool per x number of teams over the prize money.
For the Public:
Peoples Choice - everyone loves this
When you advertise in Print, Radio, or TV - Make sure you state clearly - "due to health department regulations, teams can not give or sell bbq to spectators. We have many vendors available to provide BBQ to spectators." This will save YOU and the TEAMS many headaches from people getting mad at teams for not providing them with BBQ.
and to alievate the problem all together:
Develop a Free Booth Tour system like Memphis in May. The public wanted to be more involved, so about 10 years ago MIM started the "Cooker Caravan" where guides brought groups of 15 or so people to Teams Booths for a tour and question and answer period. The teams are asked if they want to participate (One 15 min tour a day) and gave a speech about BBQ and held a little question and answer section. Many sample some pork to the group, but you don't have to. Each tour group stays for 15 min and visits 2-3 booths. - Its fun for teams and for spectators.
For Judges:
Provide bottled water
Provide experienced table captians
For sponsors:
If legal in your organization - See if you can get some teams to volunteer to cook up food for your sponsors the night before the contest. (or remburse them at cost) Use the judging tent as a commisary, invite your sponsors and their families out for a BBQ Dinner. This will develop a relationship with the sponsor, and show them you appreciate their support. It could also get you more money next year :-D