Alaska BBQ Association holding annual Breakup Shakeup event at Matanuska Brewing Company

WASILLA — The Alaska BBQ Association is hosting its annual Breakup Shakeup Backyard Barbecue Competition at Matanuska Brewing Company and Tap Room in downtown Palmer April 23.

Local pitmasters are invited to show off their skills and compete for the first place trophy. There will also be a People’s Choice award.

Competitors will be cooking up chicken, pork ribs, and the chef’s choice.

The public is invited to come out and enjoy a day filled with fresh barbecue and socializing outdoors. According to Parson, about 15 people have signed up for the competition. He said it’s all about friendly competition, good food, and good times.

“It’s just a good time,” Alaska BBQ Association President Jason Parson said.

Parson said that staff from Matanuska Brewing Company and Bleeding Heart Brewery have a friendly competition against one another every time they host this event. He said the two local breweries even utilize beers from their tap in part of the contest.

Parson said this annual tradition has grown in popularity over the years, estimating that about 1,000 attendees cycled through last year’s event. He said that was the first time they utilized Matanuska Brewing as a venue and they plan to continue holding the event there from this point forward.

The Breakup Shakeup kicks off the summer BBQ competition season. Parson said it’s a good way to get people back in the spirit of cooking outside after a long and dark winter.

The Alaska BBQ Association is holding numerous competitions throughout the summer, including the Alaska State Barbeque Championship in May. Whoever is declared the state champion will have the chance to enter Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational in October.

According to Parson, their organization’s overall efforts are faring well, and they’re currently focusing on raising their overall membership and series of cooking events across the state.

One of the main objectives of the Alaska BBQ Association is to highlight local talent and give residents a unique opportunity to hone their craft or even take their dishes to the next level and tour the country. Regardless, the journey of making tantalizing, smoke-cured meats and appetizers and sharing them with others is worth all the hard work, according to Parson. He said it’s a fun way to spend the summer if anything else, making it a win-win for everyone involved, including local residents who can enjoy quality barbecue made by their friends and neighbors.

Those that are interested in signing up for the competition are encouraged to apply as soon as possible as space is limited.

To register, visit alaskabbq.org/register/p/breakupshakeupbbq

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com