Firefest

17/05/2024

We are working on something that will make our events bigger and better!

I wonder what this is for… any guesses??

12/05/2024

Congratulations to our Grand Champion Sheila Copes of JO'CO BBQ and to all 11 teams on a great competition at Goodfellow AFB - 17th Training Wing yesterday! The weather held off for us, and we had a lot of fun. Special thanks to Joseph Copes for coming out as our guest pitmaster to share tips and tricks while he demo'd ribs, chicken, sausage and pork tenderloins. Check out the photos & videos!

We can't make this happen without our partners:
• Barbara McConnell, her husband Rob, and the Goodfellow MWR team are always such pros
• Recteq sent out a Bullseye pellet grill for our winner, along with rubs, sauces & merch
• Everyone wanted the Jack Daniel's barrelheads along with all the JD merch
• By now, everybody knows that the winning formula at any BBQ competition begins and ends with Blues Hog. They make sure all of our teams have rubs, sauces, and wood chunks to reach peak performance.
• Tyson Foods, Old Trapper Beef Jerky and Smoked Snacks, and Maverick Thermometers bring home the bacon.

Thanks to each of you. Lots more activity coming this year!

12/05/2024

Great event at Goodfellow AFB today! Congrats to Jo’Co on another win! Lots of pics/videos coming.

2nd Firefest BBQ Competition in the books. Sheila Copes bring home the win for JO'CO BBQ. Great job baby. With no help from me. I was putting on demastration teaching people how to cook ribs and pork loins. Firefest

11/05/2024

03/05/2024

We have an event coming up on May 18 in El Paso at Fort Bliss. We are looking for someone with a (large) smoker who could come out to the base and cook with us. Know anyone in the area??

01/05/2024

Laughlin Air Force Base, Firefest is coming your way on June 29. Get your BBQ on!

30/04/2024

We've just added a bunch of additional bases to the calendar. Did your base make the cut??

Here's the remaining 2024 schedule:
5/11: Goodfellow AFB - 17th Training Wing, TX
5/18: U.S. Army Fort Bliss, TX
6/15: Vance Air Force Base, OK
6/22: Langley Air Force Base, VA
7/3: Whiteman Air Force Base, MO
7/3: Little Rock Air Force Base, AR
7/13: Maxwell Air Force Base, AL
7/25: Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
8/2: Hill Air Force Base, UT
8/3: Minneapolis/St Paul ANGB MN
8/4: Burlington ANGB VT
8/10: Scott Air Force Base, IL
8/16: Hurlburt Field, FL
8/23: Minot Air Force Base, ND
9/7: 94th Airlift Wing - Dobbins Air Reserve Base, GA
9/18: Seymour Johnson AFB, SC
9/21: Naval Station Norfolk, VA
9/28: U.S. Army Fort Cavazos, TX
11/11: Santa Rosa Beach FL
TBD: Patrick SFB FL

27/04/2024

Exciting and memorable event today at 432d Wing / Creech AFB! We were invited to feed 1,500 Airmen-Hunters as part of the wing's Hunter Olympics. With assistance from pitmasters Christie Vanover (Girls Can Grill), Steve Nieto (Stevo's BBQ), and Steve Roy (Roy Family BBQ and Catering), we fielded the A-team. We had an *exceptional weather event* as we were about to begin serving lunch that led the event to move indoors. We had a great time!

Special thanks to Creech MWR for bringing us out; they were great partners! Thanks to our sponsors including Jack Daniel's, Blues Hog, Tyson Foods, fairlife and Old Trapper Beef Jerky and Smoked Snacks.

24/04/2024

Great event at March Air Reserve Base, CA over the weekend! Headed to Creech Air Force Base, NV ("Area 51") with support from celebrity pitmaster and 2023 Nevada Team of the Year Christie Vanover (Girls Can Grill) and 2023 Southwest Pro BBQ Team of the Year Steve Nieto (Stevo's BBQ). Feeding 1,500 Airmen and Aliens on Friday.

20/04/2024

Kicking off BBQ season in style at March Air Reserve Base!

01/04/2024

No April fools here -- the Firefest season begins in April! We start at March Air Reserve Base on April 20 followed by Creech Air Force Base on April 26. We are FIRED UP to get back out and share some BBQ goodness!

22/03/2024

Amberjack Magic!

22/03/2024

We are gearing up to add smashburgers this year with Blackstone Products griddles. They are seasoned and ready to rock!

18/03/2024

Our sponsor Jack Daniel's and the U.S. Armed Forces enjoy a long history together. Through Operation Ride Home, Jack Daniel's, in partnership with the , provides financial assistance to E1-E5s in select areas who are trying to get back home. Thanks Jack!

Operation Ride Home offers free flights home for military service members and their dependents to return home during the holidays.

26/02/2024

Our sponsor Jack Daniel's has a special relationship with the military that goes back a long way. In this podcast of "Around the Barrel," Jack Daniel's historian Nelson Eddy shares some cool stories. Check it out.

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25/02/2024

Nobody does a better job teaching BBQ to the troops than 78-time Grand Champion and Pitmaster Jim Johnson. Let him teach you how to make one of our favorites: Chargrilled Salsa.

World renowned 78 time grand champion pitmaster Jim Johnson and his assistant Rachel show you how to make a tasty salsa with a kick!VIEW THIS RECIPE: https:/...

24/02/2024

Are you ready for another season of great BBQ? Tell your base MWR personnel that you want to bring Firefest to your base!

23/02/2024

We are thrilled to announce our inaugural event at March Air Reserve Base, California on Apr 20!

06/10/2023

2024 EVENT REGISTRATION OPEN

We have opened registration for the 2024 Firefest Tour at https://www.firefest.net/fire24.

Here's what 2024 will look like:
- Emphasis on unit-based BBQ competition, with base winners invited to compete in a national contest
- Addition of concert/live band(s)
- Jack Daniels Tasting Tour including whiskey, bourbon & tequila
- KidZone with bounce houses, face-painting, balloon twisting, and (where available) magician
- Fundraising opportunities for base private organizations
- Expanded partnerships bringing greater value to our Total Force teams

We are really excited to bring these events to our service members and their families! We will post the 2024 schedule as bases reserve dates. For those of you who have asked us to bring Firefest to your base, this is your opportunity to reach out to your local MWR teams to secure your date.

Thanks to Jack Daniel's, Blues Hog, Tyson Foods, and everyone else who supports our efforts to bring joy through BBQ.

Here's to an incredible 2024!

The hottest event tour your base has ever experienced 2024 Event Components BBQ Blaze Our fiery BBQ competition. We staff the event and provide the proteins. Unit-based teams bring their grills and special seasonings. Base leaders select the winners through blind judging. Includes prizes and giveawa...

05/10/2023

03/10/2023

What a BLAST at Rock Fest at Cannon Air Force Base!! What goes best with Skillet, Hoobastank, and The Dirty Hooks? That's right, my friends. Sweet BBQ!

The Airmen at Cannon, led by *Cannon Force* (27th Special Operations Force Support Squadron), brought the Heat!

Grand Champion: Modesto Family
Reserve Grand Champion: Baby Back Stabbers

PORK
1st: Modesto Family (Perfect Score)
2nd: Pete's Meats
3rd: Baby Back Stabbers

CHICKEN
1st: Baby Back Stabbers
2nd: Modesto Family
3rd: Rhythm & Ribs

Congrats to each of the teams that competed, and THANK YOU to the Airmen and families at Cannon Air Force Base for your service!

Thanks also to Tyson Foods, Jack Daniel's, and Blues Hog for your continued support of the U.S. Armed Forces.

03/10/2023

Had a great time at Wright-Patt!

Planes tunes and BBQ 2023 Firefest

24/09/2023

Great event at Fort Sill, Oklahoma this weekend. Yes, it was hot. But the real heat came from our Grand Champion, Bob’s Crew BBQ!

Congrats to all of our winners this weekend!

Grand Champion: Bob’s Crew BBQ
Reserve Grand Champion: Peace Through Victory

Pork Ribs
1st: Bob’s Crew BBQ
2nd: Jay Jr’s
3rd: Peace Through Victory

Chicken
1st: Bob’s Crew BBQ
2nd: Brew’n Cue’n
3rd: Peace Through Victory

We prepared 500 BBQ plate dinners and gave some sweet demos for the Soldiers and families, thanks to Blues Hog, Jack Daniel's, Tyson Foods, and Recteq. THANK YOU.

23/09/2023

We are locked and loaded for Firefest Fort Sill, Oklahoma! We have 14 teams competing in our BBQ Blaze. In addition, we are feeding 500 Soldiers and family members, and having a 2-hour Pitmaster Academy to share BBQ basics.

Hats off to the folks who help us make this available to our service members and families: Jack Daniel's, Recteq, Blues Hog, and Tyson Foods. Thank you.

Fire up the smokers!

10/09/2023

Why not Minot?! Congrats to To Da Bone and all of the teams competing in the Firefest BBQ Blaze at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota this weekend! Special thanks to the excellent MWR team at the 5th Force Support Squadron for bringing this event to Minot.

Results:
Grand Champion: To Da Bone
Reserve Grand Champion: Barbeque Ninjas

Pork Ribs:
1st: To Da Bone
2nd: Oh I Smell Smoke
3rd: Barbeque Ninjas

Chicken:
1st: Light 'em Up!
2nd: Movin' Trucks & Smokin' Butts
3rd: Barbeque Ninjas

Thanks to Recteq, Jack Daniel's, Blues Hog, Tyson Foods, and Old Trapper Beef Jerky and Smoked Snacks for supporting our efforts to thank service members and their families.

27/08/2023

Congrats to Not Applicable, our Grand Champion at Firefest Naval Station Everett! Really nice work by our Firefest team led by Christian Ball.

Results:
Grand Champion: Not Applicable
Reserve Grand Champion: Zakimi & Sons

Chicken
1st - Not Applicable
2nd - Dragon Slayers
3rd - Harper & Me

Pork
1st - Zakimi & Sons
2nd - Lefties BBQ
3rd - Not Applicable

Thanks to the NS Everett MWR team for bringing Firefest to the Sailors. Thanks to our awesome sponsors including Blues Hog, Jack Daniel's, Recteq, Tyson Foods, and Old Trapper Beef Jerky and Smoked Snacks. Finally, thanks to the Sailors and their families for your service to our country!

17/07/2023

Congrats to Bones BBQ, our Grand Champion at the inaugural Firefest BBQ Blaze at Naval Base Ventura County this weekend. Celebrity Pitmaster and Navy vet Sterling "Smitty" Smith from Loot N' B***y BBQ kept the teams on track and made some great brisket. The weather was perfect, and it was an awesome event!

Grand Champion: Bones BBQ
Reserve Grand Champion: Team Tamtastic

Tri-Tip
1st: Bones BBQ
2nd: Team Tamtastic
3rd: Grillin' & Chillin'

Chicken
1st: Smokin' the Comp
2nd: Team Tamtastic
3rd: Team Dominic

Thanks to our sponsors including Blues Hog, Jack Daniel's, Recteq, and Tyson Foods. Special thanks also to Old Trapper Beef Jerky and Smoked Snacks for sending out some great beef sticks for the troops!