Best Booth?? West Coast Thing??

[toys4dlr]

I was just wondering how many comps across the country have a best booth category and it pays exactly like a food category??

I am all for a good looking space, but I have a hard time saying that decorating is equal to cooking a great brisket or pork butt?

Here in AZ (and I see it in Cali too), there are more times than not that the best booth is a forced part of the comp. I personally think it should be like a dessert or Anything butt, where you throw in 25 or 50 and winner takes all??? Don't get me started on the lack of judging criteria.

To be fair it is included in the entry fee (Usually $300 - $400 here in AZ) But to have 1/5 of the total purse go to it, well it bugs me enough to ask if this is a growing trend or what.

Do you guys have a best booth in other parts of the county.

Thanks

David

[Scottie]

no.... Only in the West... that wouldn't fly in the Midwest... It's about BBQ...

[JD McGee]

We have a lot of them out here...they are fun for the public and some teams get really in to it...we do not participate in them though...to us it's all about the BBQ.

[AZScott]

JD do they pay out for the best booth? Out here, I won best booth once because I think we were the saddest most pathetic booth at the contest. $600 for a sorry pop up tent that had a leg broken off during a wind storm. It was great to win and allowed us to upgrade our site but it didn't feel right to bring home $600 for being able to duct tape a broken aluminum leg to a 10x10.

I'm with David about the best booth. That money would be much better spent paying out to 10th place in the overall.

[huminie]

Never heard of it being mandatory, but have seen it as a fun side thing to do. If the organizers want to spice up their contest and dish out some prize money to do so, that should be their prerogative. Not in a forced way, but put it out there for those that want to.

[Mrs. McFrankenboo]

Originally Posted by huminie

Never heard of it being mandatory, but have seen it as a fun side thing to do. If the organizers want to spice up their contest and dish out some prize money to do so, that should be their prerogative. Not in a forced way, but put it out there for those that want to.

It isn't forced and can be fun, especially if you want to attract people to your booth. HOWEVER, I think what David is getting at is that the fact that it pays out like 1st place in Chicken, Ribs, Pork or Brisket. You don't have to pay extra to participate in the Best Booth category yet, if you aren't competing in that, part of your entry fee for the BBQ competition still goes to pay for that. Believe me, I have taken home some money for Best Booth but at the beginning it was never paid out like an actual meat category. I'm all for having fun with your booth, but it shouldn't take away from the actual prize fund for the BBQ because entry fees are getting too high as it is in the West and they are all trying to win some of that money.

[Scottie]

The Jack also has the Happiest Home in the Hollow contest. Doesn't even come close to the prize fund for the other categories.

Let's face it. Supposed to be a BBQ contest and that is where the focus should be, not on who has the most time and resources to create the best booth. It is never a level playing field for these Best Booth contests. It favors certain teams... So to me, that is not a fair proposition....

[ThomEmery]

Best Booth winner is getting a free entry to next years contest at Stagecoach 2011
The $5000 is all in the KCBS Sunday Contest
We have been added to the Resers Potato Salad Campaign to Saturday
Nice prize money there
The CBJs will determine the "Best, Most Creative Saturday Taste of BBQ"
Winner gets a free entry in 2011

[motoeric]

We've done it a few times at the Battle of the BBQ Brethren here in NY. We usually offer a physical prize (fantastic custom grate by Brian at Huntingdon County Customs) or discounted entry to the following years event.

I like the concept and think it's something that should be supported. I guess the question is how the winner is rewarded and where does that award come from.

Eric

[Dale P]

I know our team would never win best booth, even if we tried.

[JD McGee]

PO1...yes they do pay out in prize money or prizes. I'm not against it at all...I think it adds a bit of fun to the comps...some of the teams get pretty creative.
I know my wife is planning to spruce things up at our camp this year with a wine theme...nothing serious though...I think! Lol!

[Crash]

Yeah, we've been down this road a few times. We have actually made a few bucks on the best booth category, but only because, A) we have wonderful women to decorate and, B) the public likes flashy, sparkly bowling trophies.

I totally get the whole idea that the sponsors want a nice show for their crowd, but it does detract a bit from the overall reason that we all cook competitively. There is nothing more annoying than having to transport trophies to chase a best booth payout.

Just my opinion, and we are guilty of doing it!

[swamprb]

I think Ty spent @ $750 in materials to win Second Place and $250 for a Best Booth in Sedro Wooley. And if you totaled up the Best Booth points, Smokey's might have been TOY!