EGG'N in the Valley

jlcondley

We would like to invite everyone to our 1st Annual EGG'N in the Valley, October 17 & 18, 2014 in beautiful Russellville, Arkansas.  We are located on I-40 -- about halfway between Ft. Smith and Little Rock.  The 17th, we will have a "meet and greet" with complimentary tickets for our cooking teams.  This will feature entertainment and food.  The 18th, we will be set up at the Pope County Fairgrounds -- lots of room!!  (There are even a few first come/first reserved RV hookups available on site). 

You can visit our site here at http://www.rivervalleyshelter.org/eggninthevalley.html   Registration is available online (no charge for cooking teams!)  More info will be posted soon regarding motel partnerships, etc... All proceeds benefit the River Valley Shelter - a domestic violence shelter in Russellville.

LDR

I'm looking forward to it!

jlcondley

Can't wait!  hope to see everyone there!

jlcondley

Still finalizing all details, but there will be CASH prizes handed out during the day for our cooking competitions!  More details to come...

jlcondley

if you are coming to EGG'N in the Valley and would like the opportunity to win 2 free taster tickets, just click on the link and register!  You have until July 31 when a random entry will be selected.

henapple

Naturally the main question is...is alcohol permitted?

Can't pull the website up. Can't Google the Fairgrounds. River Valley Shelter came up an alcoholic treatment facility which kinda scares me. An eggers intervention?

Just trying to locate some lodging. )

jlcondley

Oh my!!  Sorry you are having such a problem accessing our website.  Not sure what is up with that.  Here is the link -- copied directly from the search bar

http://www.rivervalleyshelter.org/eggninthevalley.html
(if this link doesn't work for some reason, just get there by going to our website, www.rivervalleyshelter.org and then click on our link on the left hand side.) 

Pope County Fairgrounds is located right here in great Russellville, Arkansas.  River Valley Shelter is a domestic violence shelter.  We are putting on EGG'N in the Valley in conjunction with our local BGE dealer, Carr's Chain Reaction.  All monies raised will stay right here in the River Valley to provide services to victims and children of domestic violence.  We have plenty of lodging available and there are a couple of hotels on our site that are offering a special rate for those attending.  If you are coming in an RV, we do have a few spots available for free at the fairgrounds, which can be reserved on a first come/first served basis.    Of course we set right on beautiful Lake Dardanelle (home to many bassmasters fishing tourneys, etc)   We are located in a dry county (sorry) but I can say I'm not the ice chest police LOL 

Hope that answers some questions!

LDR

The fairgrounds are at:

500 S Knoxville, Russellville, AR 72801

LDR

I sent a few questions to the organizer.. Subject: Re: EGG'N in the Valley I’ve got a few questions that all the cooks will probably want to know about (so we know what we need to bring): Is electrical available at each cooksite · Electric should be available, but we will double check that – we are supposed to go back to the location in the next few days to try to do a layout for activities Are small generators okay (2500 watt and less) · Yes Are propane cookers okay · Yes Are campfire stovetops okay (Coleman cookers) · Yes Are canopies provided · No L sorry – we won’t have enough If canopies aren’t provided, can we bring our own (Most are 10x10 or 12x12) · Yes What happens if it rains · It is a rain or shine event – we are at the fairground so absolute worst case scenario, we can move the cooks to underneath the arena if need be. Are tables provided (what size) · We will have tables – I think they will be 6 foot. Are chairs provided · Yes. Is alcohol acceptable in the open · Unfortunately we are in a dry county. We won’t be the “ice chest police” however we would request that you please put any drinks in cups What kind of concessions are there · We will have sno cones/popcorn/cotton candy for the kids zone. We will furnish an area with candy and cokes. We will be furnishing a hospitality room to our cooks during the day, but for our tasters, we want them to be coming to our cooks tables. If we are wrong in that thinking, please tell me LOL What’s provided with the egg for us to use as we cook (platesetter? Ash tool?) · I talked to our dealer at Carr’s Chain Reaction and he said he would not be able to supply that. It would be the egg and the nest. (We are hoping as we grow the event, we will be able to provide a lot more stuff) Is a bag of charcoal provided for the cook to use? · Yes. How do we get rid of the charcoal at the end of the day · Our dealer is handling getting rid of the charcoal. I think he said would put in metal trash can?? Can a cook request a second egg (assuming one is available). For example, most cooks will be making appetizers, but if a second egg were available, I could also cook a pork shoulder in less than six hours as a demo for pulled pork · We are hoping to have some available – will know closer to time J Will bags of ice be available for purchase? if not, we need to know a few nearby locations. Everybody runs out of ice. · We have an ice company in our town and we are working with them to supply our ice for us. If not, we will have some on hand. Is there a nearby supply of water – for cooking as well as washing up throughout the day. Where would we dump the washwater · We are renting a portable handwashing system as well as will provide water/paper towels, etc.. throughout the day. Since we are at the fairgrounds, we will have access to bathrooms, etc.. We will also be providing “runners” for our cooking teams for anything that you need. For example – you forget a seasoning or something, we will have someone who will run to store for you – keep you supplied in ice, water, paper towels, etc…

LDR

Okay - no more posting from iPad

LDR

Let' see if this comes out better...

I sent a few questions to the organizer..

Subject: Re: EGG'N in the Valley I’ve got a few questions that all the cooks will probably want to know about (so we know what we need to bring):

Is electrical available at each cooksite · Electric should be available, but we will double check that – we are supposed to go back to the location in the next few days to try to do a layout for activities

Are small generators okay (2500 watt and less) · Yes

Are propane cookers okay - Yes

Are campfire stovetops okay (Coleman cookers) · Yes

Are canopies provided · No L sorry – we won’t have enough If canopies aren’t provided,

can we bring our own (Most are 10x10 or 12x12) · Yes

What happens if it rains · It is a rain or shine event – we are at the fairground so absolute worst case scenario, we can move the cooks to underneath the arena if need be.

Are tables provided (what size) · We will have tables – I think they will be 6 foot.

Are chairs provided · Yes.

Is alcohol acceptable in the open · Unfortunately we are in a dry county. We won’t be the “ice chest police” however we would request that you please put any drinks in cups

What kind of concessions are there · We will have sno cones/popcorn/cotton candy for the kids zone. We will furnish an area with candy and cokes. We will be furnishing a hospitality room to our cooks during the day, but for our tasters, we want them to be coming to our cooks tables. If we are wrong in that thinking, please tell me LOL

What’s provided with the egg for us to use as we cook (platesetter? Ash tool?) · I talked to our dealer at Carr’s Chain Reaction and he said he would not be able to supply that. It would be the egg and the nest. (We are hoping as we grow the event, we will be able to provide a lot more stuff)

Is a bag of charcoal provided for the cook to use? · Yes.

How do we get rid of the charcoal at the end of the day · Our dealer is handling getting rid of the charcoal. I think he said would put in metal trash can??

Can a cook request a second egg (assuming one is available). For example, most cooks will be making appetizers, but if a second egg were available, I could also cook a pork shoulder in less than six hours as a demo for pulled pork · We are hoping to have some available – will know closer to time J

Will bags of ice be available for purchase? if not, we need to know a few nearby locations. Everybody runs out of ice. · We have an ice company in our town and we are working with them to supply our ice for us. If not, we will have some on hand.

Is there a nearby supply of water – for cooking as well as washing up throughout the day. Where would we dump the washwater · We are renting a portable handwashing system as well as will provide water/paper towels, etc.. throughout the day. Since we are at the fairgrounds, we will have access to bathrooms, etc.. We will also be providing “runners” for our cooking teams for anything that you need. For example – you forget a seasoning or something, we will have someone who will run to store for you – keep you supplied in ice, water, paper towels, etc…

jlcondley

Went out to the fairgrounds again today to do a layout of event day.  Looks like all cooking teams should have access to electricty -- with the help of extension cords, water should be readily available as well (several hydrants around, plus we will be supplying bottled water)  I think all the other questions are pretty well answered, but if anyone has suggestions/comments, we will absolutely take them     We have already sold some "taster tickets" since our ad ran this weekend.  Posters are in and going up this week.  Billboards in two different counties are going up the 2nd week in September.  T-shirts are in (and they are awesome, I think anyway!).  I think things are coming along!  Hope to see everyone there!

Hotch

We have already signed up to cook at this one.

Just one question,

Are propane cookers okay - Yes

What is up with propane cookers at an Eggfest?

LDR

I fouled up on the propane cooker - meant my torch for lighting.

 

LDR

Finally realized what the propane cooker was about - I was considering doing eggrolls with pulled pork and making them there.

LDR

Looking forward to tomorrow in Russellville and grateful for the wife who helped prep 250 ABTs, 400 Moink balls, as well as 200 miniature sweet peppers and stuffing for them.

Lots of pepper seeds flying and no telling how many pigs contributed to all that bacon.

corb69

Pictures????

LDR

I do have a few pictures - but am worn out at the moment.  We just got back.  Here's what was in the cook's goody bags:

• A $100 Walmart gift card
  
• 2 Egg’n in the Valley t-shirts
  
• 1 Egg’n in the Valley green embroidered apron
  
• 2 plastic water bottles
  
• A nice coffee tumbler
  
• A compass
  
• Lip balm
  
• Post-it notes
  
• Bath salts
  
• Jar opener
  
• Key ring
  
• Peace Chicks key ring
  
• Collapsible coozie
  
• Hand sanitizer
  
• Pepper sauce
  
• Toblerone
  
• Screen cleaner
  
• Grill Mates
  
• Cavender’s seasoning
  
• 2 boxes of girl scout cookies
  
• Knapsack
  
• A variety of dish towels
  

They also had a raffle for a mini.  

Tasters got tickets at admission to vote for their favorite cooks.
First prize was $500
Second price was $300

Third prize was $200

jlcondley

Thank you for being one of our cooks!!  It was an AMAZING time!  All our cooks were unbelievable.  We had so much positive feedback about our teams, the food and just the day in general.  A quick talley... we sold over 200 tickets for today's event!!!  We are all exhausted, but have already started planning for next year!  

jlcondley

First place -- The Rogers team
Second place - The Kech team
Third place - The Oates team

(I think that's right   It has been a long day LOL )

LDR

Per tradition, here's proof it happened!

AR_Pork_Producer

Who won the raffle? I was there and enjoyed it. Also do you have the number of the winners booths? I don't remember their names.

jlcondley

Jason Casey won the raffle.  Loy Don Rogers of Little Rock was 1st (I think he was #5), Nathan & Melissa Keck of Rogers was 2nd (I think booth 4) and Les & Melissa Oates was 3rd (I think booth 6)  the booth numbers are from memory so I could be wrong.  I'm glad you came and glad you enjoyed it.  Already planning for next year!

LDR

The booth numbers are correct, and I want to thank you and Entergy for a good day - in addition to the cash!  I've been told I was scowling in too many of the pictures.  The only thing I remember thinking about was how to get the food out faster!

AR_Pork_Producer

Thanks!