CLIVE, IOWA (June 21, 2023) — Calling all barbecue and beer lovers! Fill your bellies while helping those in need fill theirs.
The inaugural BBQ & Brew at the Ballpark — hosted by the Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA), the Iowa Cubs, and Cactus Cares — is set for 12-4PM, Saturday, July 15, at Principal Park in Des Moines. Attendees can sample delicious Iowa pork from thirty different backyard barbeque experts and fifteen craft beers from Iowa’s top breweries.
Full-price BBQ and Brew tickets cost $25, with $5 from every ticket purchase supporting local hunger relief. Those interested in the barbecue experience without the brew can attend for $15. Kids ages five and younger are admitted free of charge. Purchase tickets and learn more at IowaPork.org.
The event not only offers high-quality Iowa pork and Iowa-brewed beers, but it’s also a chance to raise funds to help food banks statewide. According to the Iowa Food Bank Association, 7.3% of Iowans are struggling with hunger. That translates to nearly 229,500 Iowans, including 80,190 children.
“Iowa pig farmers care about the people of this state and the animals we raise,” said Trish Cook, a pig farmer in Winthrop and IPPA president. “This fun event will provide some delicious pork not only for attendees, but also for food-insecure Iowans in our communities.”
One of the highlights of the event is a Backyard BBQ Competition. More than $10,000 in cash prizes are available and attendees can help determine the winners of the charity competition. All thirty slots the Backyard BBQ Competition are full. The meat for the competition will be provided by Berkwood Farms and the Iowa Pork Producers Association. Fareway Stores will be providing numerous resources for BBQ and Brew at the Ballpark.
In addition, a free pork barbecue bootcamp will be led by Speed “The Sauceman” Herrig, of Iowa-based Cookies Food Products, and Joe Osbrink, from the Iowa Barbecue Society. They will offer tips for prepping, seasoning, and cooking the perfect pork.
Music, food vendors, door prizes, and other entertainment are also planned for this family-friendly event. Emceeing the festivities is Jackie Schmillen, a former Des Moines-area television personality who is now the director of public affairs for the Iowa National Guard and promoter of all great things happening in Central Iowa.
While no baseball game is scheduled at Principal Park that day, the stadium will be open for the event.
“We love when the ballpark can be a gathering place in the community for fun events that everyone can enjoy,” said Randy Wehofer, assistant general manager of the Iowa Cubs. “We appreciate the partnership with the Iowa Pork Producers Association and Cactus Cares to create something that combines great food, great fun, and great service to our community.”
To get more information about BBQ and Brew at the Ballpark, visit IowaPork.org.
About the Iowa Pork Producers Association
The mission of the Iowa Pork Producers Association is promoting, educating and providing a leading voice for a sustainable, socially-responsible, and globally-competitive pork industry.
About Cactus Cares
Cactus Cares is a non-profit organization committed to feeding a hungry world, starting with family, friends, and neighbors in communities across the nation where Cactus Feeders and Cactus Family Farms are located. The hope is that collaboration with local-level foundations and institutions will help ensure a more sustainable and long-term source of food. Cactus Family Farms, headquartered in Osceola, Iowa, is the pork division of Cactus Feeders, an employee-owned company that produces more than a million fed cattle and 850,000 market hogs annually.
