An all-new event will kick off the 14th annual Col. Charles Goodnight Chuckwagon Cookoff this weekend on the grounds of the Saints’ Roost Museum.
Before eleven wagons will participate in the traditional cookoff on Saturday, nine junior contestants will compete in a new junior cookoff Friday afternoon.
The Junior Cookoff, which is partially funded by the American Chuckwagon Association, will pair kids with mentors on participating wagon teams to learn the ropes of cooking over an open fire. This year’s contestants range in ages from eight to 15.
Junior cooks will be given a 10-pound sack of potatoes and told to prepare a dish for Friday’s Chuckwagon cooks’ dinner. The recipe will be left to the discretion of the cooks and their mentors, and cash prizes of $30, $20, and $10 will be given to the first, second, and third place winners that night.
The big day for the cookoff will be Saturday when the eleven wagons square off to battle for top prizes. It was previously reported that 12 wagons would be competing, but wet weather downstate has hampered one wagon from getting its crew together and making the trek to Clarendon.
The gates will open Saturday at 7:30 a.m. with breakfast and lunch concessions provided by Boy Scout Troop 433. The tradeshow starts at 10 a.m., and museum tours by the CHS Junior Historians will be available throughout the day.
Local and area entertainers will also be performing, and relatives of Col. Charles Goodnight will also gather at the former Adair Hospital for their annual reunion.
The authentic wagons will serve at 1 p.m. with the traditional chicken fried steak dinner, and other activities include a raffle for a pair of James Owens Handmade Boots and a hay auction.
Admission to the all-day event is free. Tickets for the authentic Chuckwagon meal are $15 each and can be purchased in advance at Henson’s. Boot tickets are also available at Henson’s or from any museum board member.
Proceeds from the cookoff benefit the Museum’s continuing efforts to preserve the history of Donley County.
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