The Best in the West Rib Cook Off begins Wednesday in and around Sparks' Victorian Square, with 24 competitors looking for a piece of nearly $20,000 in prize money. The event draws more than 350,000 attendees each year, according to event officials, and they serve up more than a quarter of a million pounds of ribs during the six-day festival.
Festivities take place from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday and 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday. Heading out to grab some ribs? Here's what you need to know.
Best in the West Rib Cook Off transit, road closures in downtown Sparks
Driving and parking in downtown Sparks can be a bit challenging during the rib cook off. If you're driving, there's free self-parking in the Nugget's west parking lot and the city's parking garage next to the Galaxy movie theater at Victorian Square.
If you'd like to park and ride, RTC's RAPID Lincoln Line and Route 11 will provide free transportation all day throughout the event, from Wednesday, Aug. 28, to Monday, Sept. 2. RTC officials recommend traveling from Reno's Fourth Street Station or Sparks' Centennial Plaza. Visit RTCWashoe.com to plan your trip.
You also can take free shuttles from Greenbrae Shopping Center, 510 Greenbrae Drive in Sparks, and from the Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center, 1350 N. Wells Ave. in Reno.
Who's competing at Nugget's 2024 Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook Off?
Two dozen competitors will be serving up ribs at this year's festival, hoping to land in the winner's circle for 2024. Vendors will sell rib sampler trays (prices vary from vendor to vendor) or entire slabs of 12 to 14 ribs; most also sell sides and beverages.
All six of last year's award winners are back to compete this year, plus 18 challengers looking for awards. Last year's winners:
- First place: Porky Chicks BBQ
- Second place: Rasta Joe's BBQ
- Third place: BJ's Barbecue
- Fourth place: Git-R-Smoked
- Fifth place: Just North of Memphis
- Best sauce: Big Daddy's Sin City Barbecue
- People's Choice: Back Forty Texas Barbecue
More:2024 Best in the West Rib Cook Off map
Who's got a shot this year? Here's the breakdown.
Perennial fan favorite at the rib cook off
Back Forty Texas BBQ, Pleasant Hill, California: Back Forty took first place overall in 2011 and has been undefeated in the People's Choice Award since 2017.
Northern Nevada competitors at the rib cook off
BJ's Barbecue, Sparks: BJ's Barbecue is one of just three Nevada-based rib joints to have won the overall title, having done so in 1998 and 2022. They placed third last year.
The Phoenix BBQ, Sparks: The Legends at Sparks Marina restaurant is taking its talents a few exits west on I-80 to compete in this year's cook off.
Train Wreck BBQ & Grill, Sparks: This Rail City food truck is looking to use its home-field advantage to break onto the podium in 2024.
Battle Born Smokers, Reno: This BLC-based food truck is known for its "St. Lewis" style ribs as well as brisket and pulled pork.
Brothers Barbecue, Reno: The Midtown District restaurant serves up Texas-style barbecue and is hoping to take home Reno's third overall title (after Git-R-Smoked in 2021 and Texas Longhorn Bar & Grill in 1994).
Men Wielding Fire, Reno: The restaurant-turned-catering company is well-versed in ribs, offering St. Louis-style ribs as well as chipotle ribs on its catering menu.
Carson City BBQ, Carson City: Carson City BBQ is looking to climb the ladder this year after a fifth-place finish in 2012 and fourth-place finishes in 2017 and 2022.
Big Daddy's Barbecue, Las Vegas: Big Daddy's won Best Sauce in 2023 and is looking to break into the overall top five this year for the first time. (Should a Las Vegas barbecue joint be included in the "home team" list, though? Discuss.)
Past champions at Best in the West Rib Cook Off
Porky Chicks BBQ, Fayetteville, Arkansas: Porky Chicks return to Sparks to defend its 2023 title; it also took second place in 2022.
Git-R-Smoked, Lexington, Kentucky: Git-R-Smoked, formerly of Reno, won the title in 2021 before relocating to Kentucky. They took fourth place last year and won Best Sauce in 2019.
Montana Q Bar-B-Que, Frenchtown, Montana: Back-to-back title winners in 2018 and 2019; they also took third in 2021.
Chicago BBQ Company, Burr Ridge, Illinois: Another two-time title winner (2012 and 2017), Chicago BBQ also won the People's Choice award in 2013. They also claimed a second-place spot in 2011 and a fifth-place spot in 2010.
Rasta Joe's BBQ, Rochester, Indiana: Rasta Joe's took home the title in 2016 and returned to the podium last year, taking fifth place.
More sauce kings at the Sparks rib cook off
Just North of Memphis, Minneapolis, Minnesota: The North Star State proved it knows something about barbecue, having won the Best Sauce title in 2022. They also finished in fifth place last year and in third place in 2018.
Texas Outlaw BBQ, Elizabethtown, Kentucky: Texas Outlaw had Best Sauce of 2021; they finished second overall in 2013 and fifth overall in 2015 and 2016.
Checkered Pig, Danville, Virginia: Checkered Pig won Best Sauce in 2016 and has been knocking on the door of overall champions for the past decade with second-place finishes in 2018 and 2019 and fifth-place finishes in 2014 and 2022.
Aussom Aussie, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: A rib cook off mainstay, Aussom Aussie won the sauce title in 2015 and snagged a third-place finish in 2017 and a fifth-place finish in 2018.
Actual Texans
Joey's Texas Thunder BBQ, Borger, Texas: Four of this year's competitors have "Texas" in their name, but only one of them is from the Lone Star State. Joey's Texas Thunder, from the heart of the Texas Panhandle, is looking to break into the top five this year.
The challengers
Armadillo's, Naperville, Illinois: Armadillo's is looking to break into the top five for the first time in Sparks. Last month they took third place overall and won the title of Kids Choice Champions at the Elkhorn (Wisconsin) Ribfest.
Austin's Texas Lightning BBQ, Burr Ridge, Illinois: Austin's took fifth overall at the 2017 event; they won Best Sauce at this year's Rib Burnoff in Strongsville, Ohio.
Blazin' Bronco BBQ, Port St. Lucie, Florida: Blazin' Bronco has two fourth-place finishes, in 2018 and 2021.
Butch's Smack Your Lips BBQ, Mt. Laurel, New Jersey: Butch's took fourth place in 2014 and fifth place in 2021.
Moonshine BBQ, McKee, Kentucky: Git-R-Smoked's Kevin McFarland is also owner of Moonshine BBQ, which is looking to get onto the podium for the first time this year.
What musicians are performing at the 2024 Best in the West Rib Cook Off?
How about ribs with a side of music? Free concerts take place throughout the day on two stages. Headliners at the festival include:
- Wednesday, Aug. 28: Hip-hop artists Ying Yang Twins, 7 p.m.
- Thursday, Aug. 29: Country duo Thompson Square, 7 p.m.
- Friday, Aug. 30: Country-rock singer Uncle Kracker, 7 p.m.
- Saturday, Aug. 31: Blues rockers Foghat, 7 p.m.
- Sunday, Sept. 1: Veteran country singer Eddie Montgomery, 7 p.m.
- Monday, Sept. 2: Reggae group The Legendary Wailers, 2:30 p.m.
For the full lineup and schedule of performers, visit nuggetribcookoff.com.
Brett McGinness is the engagement editor for the Reno Gazette Journal. He's also the writer of The Reno Memo — a free newsletter about news in the Biggest Little City.Subscribe to the newsletter right here. Considersupporting the Reno Gazette Journal,too.
