Welcome Worlds of Fun's 3rd Annual BBQ & Brew Festival.
The Festival is set up in the Wild West portion of the Americana section of the park. New this year is a "check-in" booth where you actually pay for your tastings and have your ID checked.
Another thing you will notice right away is that the park has stepped up its game with regards to presentation. There are now booths for each of the different offerings. Long gone are the tents that were used the previous two seasons for the Festival.
Also new this year - the food and beer stands are separated. You no longer have to "settle" and are able to "mix-and-match" your pairings.
Microbrewery participants this year include: Cinder Block Brewery, Coop Ale Works, KC Bier Co, Nebraska Brewing Company, Piney River Brewing Co, and Tallgrass Brewing Co.
Food pairing options include: BBQ Chicken and Waffle, Smoked Ribs & Cornbread, Smoked Jalapeno Sausages, Smoked Turkey Tenderloin, BBQ Corn on the Cob, and BBQ Donuts.
So the big hit this year is the BBQ Chicken and Waffles. This is a waffle cone that has a bed of baked beans, then BBQ chicken with BBQ sauce and topped with cole slaw.
Here is the BBQ Chicken and Waffle - very yummy. The red beer is the Cinder Block Red Cherry English Cider. I really enjoyed it. Had a great flavor and little to no after taste. The darker beer is the Cinder Block Pavers Porter. While it did have a smooth taste and flavor, it wasn't my favorite.
The Festival area is actually quite large. It is nice to see it expanding.
The BBQ & Brew Festival runs weekends through May 14th at Worlds of Fun.