Master class

Whether you want to put your own skills to the test or just taste the fruits of someone else's labor, these are five of the best regional cook-offs going on across the U.S. this summer and fall

                                                   WHAT YOU
WHAT/WHEN                          WHERE          COULD WIN

GRILL KINGS       July 15       Belmont Park      More than
LONG ISLAND       and 16         racetrack,        $20,000
                                Elmont, N.Y.      in prizes

GO FOR THE        Aug. 4       East Shore RV,     More than
GOLD BBQ           and 5         San Dimas,         $5,000
CONTEST                            Calif.         in prizes

WEST COAST        Aug. 11        Fairfield,       $10,000 in
BARBECUE          and 12           Calif.           prizes
CHAMPIONSHIP

PRIME BEEF        Sept. 9        Monmouth,        More than
FESTIVAL                            Ill.            $1,000
COOK-OFF                                          in prizes

AMERICAN          Oct. 6        Kansas City,      More than
ROYAL              and 7            Mo.            $110,000
BARBECUE                                          in prizes

                         WHAT TO               FOR MORE
WHAT/WHEN                EXPECT                  INFO

GRILL KINGS            Live music,          grillkings.com
LONG ISLAND            games, and
                    seven categories
                      of 'cue, from
                   brisket to wings--
                   all at the historic
                       home of the
                     Belmont Stakes.

GO FOR THE            Come for the            cbbqa.com
GOLD BBQ           barbecue, stay for
CONTEST             the bass fishing:
                  Cali's oldest contest
                    takes place near
                   Lake Puddingstone.

WEST COAST        All the 'cue you can       jeffbbq.com
BARBECUE           eat, and a carnival
CHAMPIONSHIP           atmosphere:
                      The Fairfield
                    Tomato Festival's
                        also on.

PRIME BEEF        A county fair and the   primebeeffestival
FESTIVAL           world's best beef:            .com
COOK-OFF              Warren County
                      Black Angus.

AMERICAN              Crowds--and a         americanroyal
ROYAL               party. More than             .com
BARBECUE           150,000 folks show
                     up at the self-
                     declared World
                   Series of barbecue.

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