LAKEPORT, Calif. – Several participants will be firing up their grills to vie for bragging rights at the seventh annual Grillin’ on the Green, the yearly fundraiser for Westside Community Park.
The event will take place Saturday, Aug. 6, and will feature the friendly barbecue competition and entertainment for all ages.
Presented by the Westside Community Park Committee, the event will kick off at 5 p.m. at Westside Community Park, 1401 Westside Park Road.
Attendees will enjoy a variety of barbecued dishes, accompanied by side dishes and beverages, and three hours of entertainment including live music by the Funky Dozen, children’s activities, a car show featuring vintage vehicles, and horse-drawn wagon rides touring the future equine site at the park.
Ticket prices for the event are $25 per adult, $10 per child between the ages of 5 and 12, and no charge for children 4 years old or younger. Tickets are available in advance and will be sold at the function.
All proceeds benefit the Westside Community Park development. Call Cindy Ustrud, 707-263-7091, or Dennis Rollins, 707-349-0969, for more information.
Advance tickets for “Grillin’ on the Green” may be purchased at the Lake County Chamber of Commerce, Main Street Bicycles and The Travel Centers, all in Lakeport, and at Polestar Computers in Kelseyville.
Local organizations, individuals and professionals go head-to-head in the cook-off, preparing their best barbecue recipes for attendees who then cast People’s Choice votes for their favorites.
This year’s competition will include winners from previous years and some newcomers.
The cook-off challengers include the city of Lakeport, Nor Cal Cuts (Adrian Hoaglen), the Bru Cru (Adam Bruch), Beef Cake (Jessie Richardson), the Lakeport Lions Club, Joe Wind, Fresh and Bangin’ Eatery, Delta Iota Tau Sorority, JQ (Jason Strickler), Passion for Food (Ben Cisneros) and People Services Inc.
While attendees will vote for their favorites in the cook-off, three “celebrity” judges will select their favorite griller. They are Record-Bee Editor Dave Faries, retired Superior Court Judge David Herrick, and Certified Financial Planner Jennifer Strong, owner of Strong Financial Network in Lakeport.
Side dishes including salads, beans, peach crunch and lemon bars will be provided by the Westside Community Park Committee, Lakeview Market, the Lakeport English Inn, the Kelseyville Unified School District, and Lake Event Design. Beer, wine and other beverages will be available. Snow cones by Marta and Domingo Avillea may be purchased at the event.
Horse-drawn wagon rides by Susan and Kenn McCarty of the Live Oak Belgians Ranch are on the list of featured activities. The wagons seat 12 and are pulled by the McCarty’s Belgian draft horses. Rides will begin at 6 p.m.
Sponsored by the Lake County Horse Council, the wagon rides will offer 20-minute tours of the horse facilities site at the park.
Members of local car clubs will park their vintage vehicles for viewing during the event. Grillin’ on the Green attendees will be able to vote for their favorite vintage vehicle and favorite “make-out” vehicle.
Information about the event can be found on the park’s Web site, www.westsidecommunitypark.org , or on Westside Community Park’s Facebook page.
Sponsors of the event will be recognized at the Grillin’ on the Green event. The Keeling-Barnes Family Foundation is for the seventh year offering a sponsorship match. The foundation will match up to $4,000.
Sutter Lakeside Hospital has pledged a sponsorship of $2,500. Representatives of the hospital and the foundation challenge the community to match and exceed the combined $6,500 amount.
Additional 2016 sponsorship commitments have been made by the Ustrud-Rollins Family, Clear Lake Redi-Mix, Kathy Fowler Auto Center, Lake County News, Lake Event Design, Mendo Lake Credit Union, Alexander McGeoch DDS, Brian Grey DDS, Savings Bank of Mendocino County, Susie LaPointe, attorney William Kranz, Lakeport Tire & Auto Service, Yin McDonald’s, Lake Parts/NAPA Auto Parts, Jim and Wilda Shock, and Kelseyville Lumber & Supply Co.
Levels of sponsor recognition are $100 (Home Run - includes two event tickets), $300 (Grand Slam - includes a sign display at the event and four event tickets), $500-$1,000 (World Cup - includes a sign display, eight event tickets with a reserved table and two bottles of wine). Contributions of any amount may be sent to 1350 Berry Street, Lakeport, and made payable to Westside Community Park Committee.
Contributing in-kind donations to the event are Lake County News, KNTI, Lake County Publishing and the Lake County Record-Bee, S2 Tutoring & PR, Lake Event Design, Kelseyville High School, RAHamilton, and Disney Trophies and Awards.
Westside Community Park is a city of Lakeport recreational facility that has been in development for 17 years.
The nonprofit Park Committee is developing the park in conjunction with the City of Lakeport, volunteers, and numerous contributions by individuals and businesses dedicated to constructing a recreational facility for the youth and adults of Lake County.
For more information, visit the Web site, www.westsidecommunitypark.org .