10th Annual Evergreen Sausage Festival

By Lee Peacock
Courant Staff Writer

Officials with the Evergreen-Conecuh County Chamber of Commerce announced this week that they've got something very special planned for this year’s Evergreen Sausage Festival.

This year’s Sausage Festival, which will be held on Sat., Oct. 20, will feature the “First Ever Sausage Fest Backyard BBQ Cook-Off,” which will allow local barbecue enthusiasts to compete for the “prestigious Sausage Cup, bragging rights and a share of over $3,500.”

“This promises to be an exciting year for our vendors and the City of Evergreen with the addition of the Alabama BBQ Association’s Backyard BBQ Cook-Off,” Chamber Executive Assistant Carol Reed said. “With a great lineup of live music, great food – including Evergreen’s world famous Conecuh Sausage, as well as the excitement of the BBQ Cook-Off – we’d hate for you to miss it.”

Companies or groups of friends are invited to sign up for the Cook-Off’s Backyard Division. The entry fee for teams is $100, and teams will be assigned a 25x25-foot cooking site (complete with electricity and water) as well as two festival t-shirts. Teams will be required to have a large sample tray of food for guests available at their cooking site, organizers said.

The contest will be broken down into three categories – ribs, chicken and sausage – and the top five winners in each category will receive cash prizes. First-place winners will receive $300. Second-place winners will receive $200, and third-place winners will receive $100. Fourth-place winners will get $75, and fifth-place winners will receive $50.

In addition, a Grand Champion, Reserve Grand Champion and Reserve Reserve Grand Champion will be announced with $750 to go to the Grand Champion. The Reserve Grand Champion will receive $500, and the Reserve Reserve Grand Champion will get $250. To be eligible for the title of Grand Champion, contestants must enter in both the ribs and chicken categories. Conecuh Sausage should be included as the main ingredient in dishes entered in the sausage category, organizers said.

Cook-Off entry forms are available at the Evergreen-Conecuh County Chamber of Commerce Office inside the Old Depot at 100 Depot Square in Evergreen. All entries are due by Fri., Sept. 21.

This year’s Sausage Festival is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. and end at 4 p.m. and will be held in downtown Evergreen. As in years past, the event will also feature arts and crafts as well as activities for children.

Booth space for arts and crafts vendors are $50 each for a 12x12-foot space without electricity and $60 with electricity.

“Powered booths are limited, so we ask that you get electricity only if your craft requires it,” Reed said.

Vendor applications are due by Fri., Oct. 5, at 5 p.m. and are available at the Chamber Office in Evergreen. Original arts and crafts are the only items being accepted for exhibition at the festival this year, and applicants are being asked to submit a photo of their handmade items or their stocked display booths along with their applications, Reed said. All vendors will have to provide their own tents, chairs, extension cords and tables.

For more information, contact Reed at 578-1707 or [email protected]. The Chamber Office can be contact by mail at 100 Depot Square, Evergreen, AL 36401. Like the festival’s Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/EvergreenSausageFestival.