North Market will celebrate its fifth Grillmasters Festival over Memorial Day Weekend. The event has been expanded to  two days this year and will emphasize grilling, techniques and sauces (the smoke) as well as putting a little bite into your recipes with spices and hot sauces (the fire). North Market Grillmasters Festival will take place May 29 and 30 and feature special barbeque and fiery foods vendors, cooking demonstrations, culinary contests, live music and entertainment for the kiddies. 

Our regular farmers’ market will take place on Saturday and be augmented by special barbeque and fiery foods vendors including Black Swamp Gourmet, Chuck Evans’ Montezuma Brand, Crazy Uncle Jester’s Inferno World, Ole Ray’s Sauces, Patter Fam Sauces, Ron’s Original Hot Sauce and Urban Chefs. The vendors will be present Saturday and Sunday where you can see them in action along with local chefs at our grilling demonstrations that will boast a host of flavorful grilling recipes. Attendees are invited to watch as recipes are prepared, taste what the presenters have created and take tips to go home and try out on the grill. 

On Saturday, customers are invited to demonstrate their BBQ prowess in an Amateur Barbeque Sauce Contest that will be judged by local BBQ sauce makers.  First prize is $50 in North Market gift certificates. Returning in the “professional” category is the popular, “Thrilla at the Grilla.”  A couple chefs are given their own hibachis and charcoal then use their imagination as far as what they whip up on the grill. Our discerning judges will choose a champion and the public can taste their creations. The winner will take home the title “Baron of Barbeque” and $200 in North Market gift certificates. On Sunday the activities of the day will commence with an amateur Salsa Fresco Contest with another winner taking home $50 in North Market gift certificates.

“Memorial Day weekend kicks-off the Summer grilling season and North Market is the perfect place for a perfect barbecue.” Said David Wible, Executive Director of the North Market. “From our fresh poultry, meats, seafood and game to the broad offerings of our Farmers Market and The Greener Grocer, we have all the ingredients for summer grilling.  Our Grillmaster’s Festival adds an additional layer of “flavor” to the barbecue tradition by assembling some of the best grilling sauce makers in the country.”

Grillmasters Festival Schedule of Activities

Saturday, May 29

• 8 a.m., Farmers Market opens
• 9 - 11 a.m., music by BeJae Fleming
• 9 a.m., Cooking demonstration TBA
• 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Face Painting by Rita
• 10 a.m., Amateur BBQ Sauce Contest
• 11 a.m., Cooking demonstration TBA
• 11 a.m.- 1 p.m., music by Island Breeze Duo
• 11 a.m.- 1 p.m., Columbus Dog Connection foster parents with adoptable dogs
• 11 a.m.- 1 p.m., balloons by Dr. Silverfoot
• 11 a.m. - 2 p.m., Mark Wood’s Cowboy Fun Show
• 12 p.m., Thrilla at the Grilla, two chefs face off for the title “BBQ Master”
• 1 - 3 p.m., music by Za Unitt
• 3 - 5 p.m., music by Dan Heidt
• 1 p.m., Cooking demonstration by Patter Fam Sauces
• 2 p.m., Cooking demonstration by Anthony Frazier of Urban Chefs
• 3 p.m., Cooking demonstration TBA
• 4 p.m., Cooking demonstration TBA

Sunday, May 30

• 12 p.m., North Market and outdoor vendors open
• 12 - 2 p.m., music by Avalon Nine
• 12 - 2 p.m., balloons by Dr. Silverfoot
• 12: 30 p.m., Salsa Fresco Contest
• 1:15 p.m., Cooking demonstration TBA
• 2 p.m., Cooking demonstration TBA
• 2 - 4 p.m., music TBA
• 2:45 p.m., Cooking demonstration by Anthony Frazier of Urban Chefs
• 3:30 p.m., Cooking demonstration TBA

The North Market Grillmasters Festival is a free event on Saturday, May 29 from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Sunday, May 30 from 12 - 5 p.m.  For more information or to enter the BBQ Sauce, Thrilla at the Grilla or Salsa Fresco contests, please call the North Market at (614) 463-9664 or visit www.northmarket.com. 

Get great grilling tips from folks like Anthony Frazier of Urban Chefs.

On Saturday, June 13th, the North Market celebrates the onset of summer and our favorite method of seasonal cooking - grilling! Our fourth annual Grillmasters Festival will include an amateur barbeque sauce contest, grilling demonstrations and sampling, a chef cook-off, live music and kids’ activities. It’s a great opportunity to get ideas for Fathers’ Day too!

The farmers’ market will be in full swing and augmented by special vendors including Urban Chefs and Chuck Evans’ Montezuma Brand. John Hard of CaJohn’s Fiery Foods is organizing the grilling demonstrations and promises a host of flavorful grilling recipes. You are invited to watch as recipes are prepared, taste what the presenters have created and take tips to go home and try on your own grill.

“Summer is the season in which the North Market, resplendent with local offerings, really shines,” says David Wible, Executive Director of the North Market. “From the bounty of the farmers’ market to the fantastic selection of local beef, bison, pork, lamb, goat and poultry there’s never a shortage of options of foods that would go great on the grill!” 

Customers are invited to demonstrate their BBQ prowess in an amateur barbeque sauce contest that will be judged by local BBQ sauce makers.  First prize is $50 in North Market gift certificates. Returning in the “professional” category this year is the popular, “Thrilla at the Grilla.”  We give several chefs their own hibachis and charcoal and let them use their imagination as far as what they whip up on the grill. Our discerning judges will choose a champion and the public can taste their creations. The winner will take home the title “Baron of Barbeque” and $200 in North Market gift certificates.

 Scheduled Grillmasters Festival activities include:

• 8 a.m., Farmers Market opens
• 9 - 11 a.m., music by Loosely Strung
• 9 a.m., Cooking demonstration by Stan Riley of Holy Smoke BBQ
• 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Face Painting by Rita
• 10 a.m., Amateur BBQ Sauce Contest
• 11 a.m., Cooking demonstration by Alex Silbajoris, sausage making
• 11 a.m.- 1 p.m., bluegrass music by Slate Ridge
• 11 a.m.- 1 p.m., Columbus Dog Connection foster parents with adoptable dogs
• 12 p.m., Thrilla at the Grilla, two chefs face off for the title
• 1 - 3 p.m., music by One More Time String Band
• 3 - 5 p.m., Music by Folkwood Players
• 1 p.m., Cooking demonstration by CaJohn and Chef Steve of CaJohn’s Flavor & Fire
• 1:45 p.m., Cooking demonstration by CaJohn and Chef Steve of CaJohn’s Flavor & Fire
• 2:15 p.m. Cooking dmeonstration by Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams
• 2:30 p.m., Cooking demonstration by Anthony Frazier of Urban Chefs
• 3:15 p.m., Cooking demonstration by Donte Allen of Curds & Whey

The North Market Grillmasters Festival begins at 9 a.m. and is a free event.  For more information or to enter the cooking contests, please call the North Market at (614) 463-9664