The 1st Southern California BBQ-QFest
held at Follows Camp
 17-October-1998

A bit of So. California Q-Fest history

Since the first Q-Fest of 2003 is going to take place the weekend after next, and this is a slow time for BBQ news, I thought that I would update folks on the history of what earlier BBQ and the first  Southern California Q-Fest at Follows Camp in 1998 was like.
  

Increased BBQ interest

The internet was starting to provide BBQ email groups.   That allowed people all over the country to start interacting and get together with each other.  That then provided the communication medium necessary for one of the first large Q-Fest to happen.  Which was probably the Q-Fest promoted and managed by Danny Goulden out of his Diary Queen & BBQ restaurant in Carlsbad New Mexico.  That was June 14-17, 1997.  People attended from all over the country, such as Bill Wight and Di Wilson. (I did not).  
 
There were also five California BBQ KCBS type competitions occurring a year in 1998 and 1999 (that I am aware of) and drawing new people.  As a result of all mentioned above a lot of new BBQ teams and BBQ interest developed mostly in Southern California about that time.

 
In 1998 many of the current BBQ teams and people were very new to BBQ competitions, events, and activities.  Of course the seasoned and established local BBQ people were already out there.  The Rib Doctor (Eva & Hayward H.), Pork Belly Bandits (George & Donna B.),  Tackett's Portable Cajon (Gary T.), Asleep at the Grill (Vic Sessions), Texas Road Kill (Mike M. & Mike G.), Sweet Time BBQ (Frank Boyer), Ranch Hands Inc. (Kathy Murphy), and Lakeside BBQ (Dean & Gina H., Bill B.) come to mind right away. 
 
The SCBBQA (Southern BBQ Association) did not exist yet. However the CBBQA had been in existence for some time (don't know how long). The President was Frank Boyer and the Vice President of the Southern California chapter was Kathy Murphy.  Due to a lot of BBQ interest and new KCBS & CBBQA members during the 1997, 1998, and 1999 timeframe Southern California was becoming very active while Northern California was a bit less active and geographically further away.  There was a BBQ activity appetite that needed to be satiated!

Much of this local interest and enthusiasm was probably fueled by the two yearly contest occurring at Follows Camp. A new contest in the Spring that was called "Shake, Rattle, and Smoke" and in the Summer it was "Go for the Gold".  Actually "Go for the Gold" was quite a well established and attended contest by California standards. The first contest I attended to observe-only was in 1997 and had over 40 teams attending from all over the U.S. The first contest I cooked in was August of 1998 and had 38 teams.  In Northern California the "West Coast" BBQ Cook-Off was being held in October in Santa Cruz at the Pasa Tiempo Hotel. I first attended this contest in October of 1998 and went there yearly through 2000. These contests were put on entirely by Frank Boyer. He would obtain sponsors, promote them to the public, and manage the event. I always enjoyed and had a great time at each of these events.  

In June of 1999 Gene Goycochea and Melanie Jones promoted and put on the 1st "Surf & Turf" State Championship BBQ contest  held at Imperial Beach.  This was truly a GREAT BBQ event.  Well attended and enjoyed by all teams.  Gene continues to hold this event yearly, typically in July.
 

In September of 1999 Melanie Jones promoted and put on the 1st "Swine & Wine"  BBQ contest  held in Niles, Northern California.  This was also a GREAT BBQ event.  Well attended and enjoyed by all teams.  This was a one-time event.
 

Southern California BBQ folks get together for their first local Q-fest on 16-17-October-1998

Steve Clark was a very avid and active BBQ competitor and enthusiast. He attempted to organize the first Paul Kirk class that year in Southern California and also organized and put together the first Q-Fest at Follows Camp. Steve Clark and Gary Maines had competed that year in the "Go for the Gold" and obtained 2nd Place in Chicken and were doing quite well. I contacted Steve and arranged to attend this Q-fest. I just could not get enough BBQ!.   
 
Some of the folks in attendance at that first Q-Fest were:

Gary Tackett, Gene Goycochea, Melanie Jones and family, Steve Clark and family, Gary Maines, Bill Wight, Bob Pierce and work friends, Rick Streiff, and Dan and Barbara Cannon (me and my family).

Great meal, great times, great friendships, and great BBQ!

It was a fantastic time. Everybody contributed a specialty BBQ meat item and side to the potluck Saturday afternoon. Meat entries were mostly ribs and chicken. Bill Wight had introduced Lemon wood to some attendees and turned out a great Lemon Pepper / Lemon smoked moist rib that was the bomb.  Almost everybody arrived Friday and left Sunday (some arrived and left on Saturday). Gary Tackett rode his bike in for Saturday. There was a bit of a communal breakfast on Sunday before everybody packed up and left.

As an historical FYI

It was only 90 days later (16-January-1999) that most of the above mentioned Q-Fest attendees met again at Follows on a Saturday afternoon and created the SCBBQA (Southern California BBQ Association). <more - see a separate article on that history>

During the December 15, 2001 evening board meeting the SCBBQA board met and approved merging with the CBBQA.  This meeting was held at Dean and Gina Hayes' church where the SCBBQA had just prepared and served 125 needy families in Lakeside California.

Time marches on...

Well, time and BBQ marches on. Now we will be attending the first Q-Fest of 2003 (5 calendar years later). But, now you have a bit of a taste and feeling of what BBQ, some people,  and a Q-Fest was like in 1998. I have included several group and people pictures so you can all see how young we looked!

Dan Cannon

www.bbqdan.com

dan@bbqdan.com