Eating Champ To Join Rib Fest Event This Weekend

The 4th annual Casablanca Rib Fest is coming to Mesquite on Friday, September 10 at the Casablanca resort and will run through Sunday.

This year’s Rib Fest event will feature some of the country’s best barbecue vendors cooking up delicious ribs and barbecue in addition to fun tailgating games, daily eating contests, and a DJ to keep the energy high through Sunday.

Highlighting the event, world champion eater Joey Chestnut will be participating in this year’s three-day barbecue festival. Fresh off a record-setting victory at Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest in New York, Chowdown Champ Chestnut will be judging, eating and autographing on Saturday. From noon to 2 pm, Chestnut will judge watermelon eating contests. Local school principals will face off at high noon to determine which local school will receive a $500 donation from Mesquite Gaming. At 2 pm, it will be the Police Department vs. Fire Department with the winners getting a $1,000 donation to their charity of choice. Finally, at 7pm, a BBQ food eating competition will be held in the Casablanca Showroom.

Chestnut will go against select VIPs in a BBQ food eating competition that is free to the public to attend.
Notable food vendors include Austin’s Texas Lightning, who has more than 30 years of experience serving award winning barbecue; Chicago BBQ Company, who won first place at 2017’s Best in the West Rib Festival; and Texas Outlaw BBQ, who boasts more than 250 first place awards in its 25 years.

Attendees will get to choose which barbecue they love the most and vote for the People’s Choice. Participants can vote once per day on casablancaresort.com. The team with the most votes by Sunday evening will win the $2,000 prize.