By JUDD WEIL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — This year’s Salt City Fest, hosted by Salt City Brewing, not just adds an extra day of festivities, but also an extra block to party on June 2 and June 3.
Steven Petermann, owner and managing member of Salt City Brewing Co., is excited about Salt City Fest’s growth.
"In the past, what we've done is simply a one-night block party, where we have bands come in and a beer garden, and we decided we wanted to make this more of a community, family, and kids event. So, we have added another block," Petermann said. "We now go from the 400 and 500 block of North Main Street in Hutchinson, and the 400 block will be filled with family events."
The events and activities on the 400 block side of Main Street will include bounce house, dunk tank, water slides, a treasure dig where children dig for quarters, a kids’ duck pond, ice cream, face-painting, and more.
Axe it Up Hutch will also be at Salt City Fest to provide axe throwing for a price.
The 500 block, which Salt City Brewing is on, will be open to the public too, until 6 p.m. each evening. After that it will be cut off from the 400 block so that alcohol can be permitted on the streets.
No alcohol is going to be permitted on the 400 block, and according to Petermann, Hutchinson Police Department and Salt City Brewing’s own security will be present to monitor that.
Musical guests for Friday will include the George Sanders Band at 7:30 p.m., then PettipawCountry at 8:30 p.m., followed by Lost Wax at 9:30 p.m.
Saturday’s events will include a BBQ Cookoff.
The contest will be limited to 10 Participants and will require a $100 entry fee. Entry will include a pork butt and three St. Louis style racks of ribs. The full entry fee will go into the prize pool.
Meat will be made available to contestants on Friday, June 2, at 8 p.m.
Tasting and judging will occur from noon to 1 p.m. on Saturday. There will be a $10 tasting fee, providing a taste from all entrants for both meats, for the public, which includes a ballot to vote on the best of each. The $10 tasting fee will also go into the prize pool.
Prizes for each meat will be awarded with the prize pool divided equally for the pork butt and ribs, and will be paid as follows:
First place will be awarded 50%.
Second place will be awarded 30%.
Third place will be awarded 20%.
There will also be a corn hole tournament at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
Then people can test their mettle by challenging a mechanical bull from 6 p.m. to midnight.
Saturday night’s bands will feature Artifact at 8 p.m. and Paramount at 9:30 p.m.
On both days of Salt City Fest there will be many food trucks and vendors like, Smokin Diner, Val's Berry Bowls, SnoKo Shaved Ice, Hall Family Foods Inc, Burger Depot, Wizard of Oz, 3rd and 5, Smith's Smokin BBQ, and Tacos Mary.
With this year’s expansion, Petermann hopes to see Salt City Fest grow more in the future.
For more information visit the Salt City Fest Facebook page.
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