Cook Teams
Rules and Regulations
The Pig on the Ridge Committee has the right to reject any application.
Chief Cooks check in for site locations by 5:00pm, November 7th, 2025. EARLY ARRIVAL ENCOURAGED. Meat will arrive and be distributed at 3:00pm.
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Boston Butts (16) are provided and may only be cooked above ground with wood, charcoal, gas or a combination.
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Each Cook Team MUST participate in Friday night's festivities by cooking dishes other than pork. No entry fee is required. Participants are expected to prepare, at their own expense, a sufficient quantity of food for public samples (non-pork).
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The festival will sell tickets for this event on-site (cash and card) and will receive all proceeds. Participants will be judged for the competition by the number of tickets redeemed at each cook site with the winners in each category announced Saturday at the Awards Celebration.
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ONLY PRO/Category I Cook Teams have the option to cook (8) Boston Butts for an entry fee of $200. Invoices must be paid prior to October 15th. Cook teams are still required to participate in "No Pigs Allowed" (Friday night).
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Selling any other foods and drinks is prohibited.
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Contestants must provide their own supplies: Hats, aprons, tables, chairs, utensils, grill, wood, charcoal, gas, fire extinguisher, cooking ingredients, 150 foot extension cord, 100 foot garden hose, grill/tent cover, etc.
Judging begins at 9:30am on Saturday, November 8th. A plate of BBQ must be ready for tasting at the blind judging station. You MUST bring tickets from Friday night sales at this time as well.
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The rest of the BBQ meat must be immediately available at the cook site for sponsors and the general public. The general public will purchase tickets at central locations and can redeem at contestant grills for specified quantities of BBQ. Selling/holding whole Boston Butts is PROHIBITED and your team will be disqualified. Any other use or disposal of BBQ is PROHIBITED and violators may be ineligible to participate in future events. BBQ not redeemed for tickets becomes the property of the Town of Ridgeway.
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Cooking areas may be decorated with non-offensive and non-business streamers, banners, flags, signs, etc., boasting about your team. COMPANY ADVERTISING NOT PERMITTED.
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Cancellations after October 23rd may result in the cook team being billed $150 for the cost of the raw meat. "No shows" will be considered cancellations. Your team will be ineligible to participate in future events.
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ALL JUDGING DECISIONS ARE FINAL.
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APPLICATION AND AGREEMENT
DEADLINE TO SUBMIT AGREEMENT AND APPLICATION IS OCT 15, 2025. LIMITED SPACE IS AVAILABLE SO PLEASE TURN IN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!
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CONTESTANT GRANTS THE PIG ON THE RIDGE COMMITTEE AND ANY HIRED ENTITIES THE RIGHT TO PHOTOGRAPH OR VIDEO CONTESTANT'S TEAM DURING THE EVENT AND USE PHOTOGRAPHS, VIDEOS, AND RESPONSES ARE CONSIDERED PROPERTY OF THE TOWN OF RIDGEWAY AND MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT CONSENT OF THE TOWN. CONTESTANT AGREES TO INDEMNIFY AND HOLD HARMLESS THE TOWN OF RIDGEWAY, PIG ON THE RIDGE COMMITTEE MEMBERS, ITS EMPLOYEES, AGENTS AND VOLUNTEERS FOR ANY AND ALL CLAIMS MADE AGAINST SAME, INCLUDING EXPENSES, DAMAGES, OR REASONABLE ATTORNEYS' FEES ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH (I) ANY STRUCTURE ERECTED BY THE CONTESTANT; (II) ANY APPARTUS, EQUIPMENT, OR PERSONAL PROPERTY USED BY THE CONTESTANT; (III) ANY ACT OR OMISSION TO ACT OF CONTESTANT, ITS AGENTS, INVITES, PARTICIPANT REPRESENTATIVES, EMPLOYEES, SERVANTS; AND (IV) ANY CLAIMS ON ACCOUNT OF OR RESULTING FROM CONTESTANT'S PARTICIPATION IN THE CONTEST.
BY SUBMITTING THE APPLICATION, CONTESTANT AGREES TO THE PROVISIONS SHOWN ABOVE AND AGREES TO ABIDE BY THE RULES AND REGULATIONS SHOWN ON THIS SITE, THE ATTACHED DOCUMENT AND/OR MATERIAL PRESENTED AT THE CHIEF COOK'S MEETING HELD FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7th, 2025 AT 5:30PM.
To download a PDF version of the application and rules, click download.
Cook-Off Prizes
Friday Night-No Pigs Allowed
(All Competitors)
1st Place-$500 & Trophy
2nd Place $250 & Trophy
Category I
​(Professionals)
1st Place-$2000 & Trophy
2nd Place-$1000 & Trophy
3rd Place-$500 & Trophy
4th Place-$250 & Trophy
5th Place-Trophy
Category II
(Amateur)
1st Place-$500 & Trophy
2nd Place-$250 & Trophy
3rd Place-$125 & Trophy
4th Place-$75 & Trophy
5th Place-Trophy