Skewered Apple BBQ contest moving to Selah

YAKIMA, Wash. -- Selah will add to its tourism draw this fall when Tree Top moves its annual Skewered Apple BBQ Championship from downtown Yakima to the grower-owned cooperative's campus.

The event began in 2010 as part of Tree Top's 50th anniversary celebration, said Sharon Miracle, corporate communications director for the cooperative.

For the first two years, the Yakima Valley Museum partnered with Tree Top to hold the event, which is sanctioned by the Pacific Northwest Barbecue Association. The museum received a portion of the profits, but after poor returns last year, director John Baule decided to end its involvement with the contest.

"We raised a lot of goodwill," Baule said. "We didn't raise much money."

Baule said the museum instead is focusing on other, more successful fundraisers.

"I think ultimately it can be a significant fundraiser," Baule said, and the museum may consider becoming involved in the event in the future.

This year's contest will be held Sept. 8-9. The apple juice company hopes to attract from 50 to 70 barbecue teams, Miracle said.

Relocating to the company's plant will help solidify its brand identity, Miracle said.

"It's a branded, signature event, so we're going to tie the two together a little bit better," Miracle said.

Previously, the contest required closing portions of Front Street, re-routing traffic and finding enough parking. Relocating should help eliminate that work.

"Our campus is really, really large. We own a very large footprint in downtown Selah," Miracle said. "We'll have lots of options for parking and wide open space to be able to put teams in."

Tree Top also hopes to expand the fun for competitors and attendees with more vendors and activities.

"We hope to take the carnival, fair atmosphere up even a little more," Miracle said, "With more room to spread out, we could actually bring out some carnival- type activities with rides and games and things."

Large payouts will continue to be a big part of the contest, Miracle said. Last year, competitors received $37,000 in cash prizes.

Miracle said she expects Tree Top will work closely with Selah's Parks, Recreation and Tourism department to promote the event and bring a crowd to town.

And though the Yakima Valley Museum isn't planning to be involved, Miracle said supporting Valley nonprofit groups is likely to remain part of the Skewered Apple's mission. There will be some vendor spaces available for nonprofit groups and proceeds from admission fees will be either divvied out to community partners or invested in the next year's contest.

Competitor Brad Rand of Maple Valley is already planning on attending this year's event. Last year, Rand's team, "Uncle Sugar," took second place overall and first place in the pork butt portion of the contest.

"We compete in probably 20-plus competitions a year, and the amount of support that the organizers -- Tree Top apple juice in particular -- it's just amazing," Rand said. "It's my favorite event of the year, there's no doubt about it."

* Savannah Tranchell can be reached at 509-577-7752 or stranchell@yakimaherald.com.