FVFD READY TO PARTY ON SATURDAY

JEREMY WALTNER  – PUBLISHER

“The same but different” is a phrase that could be used to describe any number of events taking place this summer in spite of the coronavirus pandemic that has now run five months strong in the United States.

Those words are certainly appropriate for what will be the seventh annual Firehouse Rib Cook-Off, which returns to the Freeman Swimming Pool Park this Saturday afternoon and evening, Aug. 15, and exactly how founder and organizer Chad Soulek sums up the 2020 event.

“It took a couple meetings to decide,” Soulek says of the Freeman Volunteer Fire Departments (FVFD) decision to proceed with the 2020 event as scheduled. “We wanted to do it; we just didn’t know what would be the right thing. We just decided that whatever happens, happens. That’s what it boiled down to.”

The “same” portion of the department’s largest annual fundraiser will be the main event: a ribs and brisket competition among more than 20 area fire departments that includes the feeding of as many as 1,000 guests who come out to enjoy the evening. Baked beans, hot dogs and drinks  will also be available; serving starts at 5 p.m.

There will also be the customary bean bag competition, car show and afternoon and evening fellowship that goes along with it. Raffle tickets have also been sold — and will also be available on Saturday — with eight prizes up for grabs ranging from grills to cold hard cash.

The “different” portion of the event will be the loss of two fun activities for children — an afternoon water fight and corn on the cob eating contest that precedes the 5 p.m. serving start time. “We just didn’t feel like that would be right,” Soulek says.

But perhaps the biggest new avenue the department is taking this year is curbside pickup. Beginning at 5 p.m., people can purchase and pay for full racks of ribs and/or whole and half briskets on the go. Firefighters were still working out logistics early this week, but the food will be available on or near Wipf Street north of the Freeman Swimming Pool bathhouse.

“People can show up in their cars, get what they want and off they go,” Soulek says. “We’re tickled to be doing that, just in case somebody don’t want to hang out there, they can come and enjoy the meat anyway.”

The curbside pickup adds a new variable to the 2020 event in terms of how much food to prepare. Last year, participating departments prepared 450 racks of ribs, 30 briskets, four pork butts and 100-plus hot dogs, “and we had no food left.” This year the department is increasing the racks of ribs to 500, pork butts to eight “and more hot dogs on hand if need be.”

The department is also changing the layout of the event, taking advantage of the tree-lined Parkway Street — which runs diagonally along the north side of the park — for the departments to cook and serve their fare.

“There’s shade there all darn day,” Soulek said.

As has been the case with each of the previous six cook-offs, proceeds will go toward the Freeman Volunteer Fire Department and will be used for the ongoing updating of fire suits worn by members of the department, as well as payments on trucks.

“This is 100% for the department,” says Soulek, who is proud that the firefighters can pull off this major fundraiser without soliciting door-to-door support and appreciative of the community engagement and participation, especially from those who provide the prizes for the raffle: S&S Ag, C&B Operations, Ace Hardware, Fensel’s Electric and Kleinsasser Heating and Cooling. The FVFD also contributes to the prize pool.

Here are a few other things to know about Saturday’s rib cook-off:

Even though it closed for the season on Sunday, the Freeman Swimming Pool will be open on Saturday from 1 to 5:30 p.m., with admission fees waved. The Freeman City Council approved it at its Aug. 10 meeting since a bathhouse attendee and three lifeguards will be available.
Tickets can be purchased at the gate and then used for ala cart menu items throughout the evening.
Soulek says the department regularly kicks around the idea of serving dishes like potato salad and/or other mayonnaise-based sides, but keeping the salads cool for safety reasons continues to thwart those would-be plans. Instead, baked beans continue to be the best option; “we doctor them up and make them good,” he says.
For those choosing the carryout option, they should know that the ribs will be of the non-spicy variety, with salt and pepper the only seasoning, yet cooked to perfection and “fantastic.”
Soulek said four departments have opted out of this year’s cook-off because of COVID-19, “but the other ones were like, ‘What the heck; it’s time to do something.’”
With no other activities planned for Saturday afternoon, this year’s bean bag competition will be double elimination. “That was an easy decision to make,” Soulek said.
Mitchell Kleinsasser, a member of the fire department, will again be playing prerecorded music.
People will be invited to stand around the large spooled tables placed at the park or bring their own lawn chairs.
Those who want to take part in the car show should be there by noon; vehicles will be parked along the western side of Parkway.
Soulek says pulling off the cook-off requires participation and input from the local fire department’s entire 32-man roster, as well as the women’s auxiliary which has taken a more active role in recent years.
Because a ticket isn’t required for entrance, and because people buy a varying number of tickets to purchase food and drinks, it’s impossible to know how many people typically attend the cook-off. But Soulek settles on an estimate of 1,000. “But how do you keep track?” he says, noting that people come and go over the course of the afternoon and evening. This much is for sure: “There are times when the park is absolutely packed.”
The success of an outdoor festival always hinges on the weather, and the Firehouse Rib Cook-Off has been lucky in each of its first five years to have perfect South Dakota summertime weather — hot and dry. This Saturday looks good, too, “knock on wood,” Soulek says. Between  the prospect of nice weather and growing excitement for a fun and engaging community event in the midst of what has been a tough 2020, Soulek is hopeful that Saturday will be a big day in the Freeman community. “Honest to God, we’ve really got that feeling that’s what it’s going to be,” he said. “We’re excited.”