October 9–10, 2026 · Stafford Airfield · Lake Lotawana, MO

Lotasmoke 2026

BBQ competition. Live music. Camping on the airfield. The lake's biggest fall weekend.

🎸 Friday · Whiskey Trio  |  🍺 Saturday · Lotawana Brewing Co. Biergarten

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The story

How Lotasmoke started

Lotasmoke is the second-weekend-of-October BBQ competition that closes out our fundraising year. Founded in 2023 by Kyle Twenter and Craig Davis, it has grown from 18 teams in 2023 to 21 teams in 2024 and 2025.

The event is held at Stafford Airfield — a historic grass airstrip behind the Lake Lotawana Association office, originally an aviation strip dating to the 1960s and now home to the lake's biggest fall weekend. Two days of smoke, music, community, and competition.

October 9–10, 2026

Weekend Schedule

Friday, October 9 — The Block Party
2:00–6:00 PM
Tent camping setup for competition teams
4:00 PM
Gates open to the public
Evening
Live concert: Whiskey Trio — country trio, Stafford Airfield main stage
11:00 PM
Quiet hours begin
Saturday, October 10 — Biergarten & BBQ Day
11:00 AM–5:00 PM
Kids bounce house
12:00–1:30 PM
BBQ turn-in times by category
2:00 PM
Lotawana Brewing Co. Biergarten opens · Concert begins — blues act, lineup TBA
Intermission
BBQ Awards Ceremony — presented during the concert intermission
After awards
Concert resumes
10:00 PM
Quiet hours begin
KCBS-Style

Competition Categories

Teams must turn in all four meat categories to be eligible for the championship. Plus one bonus award.

🍗

Chicken

🥩

Pork Ribs

🐷

Pork

🥩

Beef Brisket

🏆

Best Party

Judged Friday night — campsite hospitality, setup, and spirit

Want in?

Team Registration

$500 per team
4 members per team · includes campsite
$100 late fee
Registrations after September 1, 2026
Returning teams
First right of refusal on your previous campsite if registered by August 1. Newcomer drawing for remaining sites at the September Team Captain meeting.
Tent camping for non-competitors
$50 per tent site. Flat grassy former airstrip — bring what you need (BYO water, ice, power; limited on-site utilities).
Partners

Our Sponsors

Lotasmoke wouldn't be possible without the generosity of our corporate sponsors. Thank you to everyone who has supported the mission.

Lotawana Brewing Company
Hamm Companies
Icon Grading and Construction
United Rentals
Allstate Consultants
Habitat Architects
Williams Lakefront Construction
Become a sponsor
The record

Past Results

Top 5 in every category, every year.

Overall ChampionWhistle Britches 🏆

2025 — Year Three · 21 Teams

Friday: Material Girl & The Fame Monster. Saturday: JT Martin + Otis Roper & The Electric Soul Congregation.
Best Party Champion: Always Rubbin' Sumpin' — Après Ski theme, DJ, and shot ice luge.

🥩 Overall BBQ
  1. 1Whistle Britches
  2. 2End of the Road BBQ
  3. 3Drunken Monkeys
  4. 4Ungarnished BBQ
  5. 5Always Rubbin' Sumpin'
🍗 Chicken
  1. 1Whistle Britches
  2. 2End of the Road BBQ
  3. 3The Meat Sweats
  4. 4Red Tip Lettuce Gang
  5. 5Drunken Monkeys
🍖 Ribs
  1. 1Ungarnished BBQ
  2. 2Meat Parade
  3. 3Z Block Nauti Smokers
  4. 4End of the Road BBQ
  5. 5The Meat Sweats
🐷 Pork
  1. 1Drunken Monkeys
  2. 2Whistle Britches
  3. 3End of the Road BBQ
  4. 4Meat Your Maker
  5. 5Tamm Good Eatin
🥩 Brisket
  1. 1Whistle Britches
  2. 2End of the Road BBQ
  3. 3All Four Aces
  4. 4Always Rubbin' Sumpin'
  5. 5Z Block Nauti Smokers
🎉 Best Party
  1. 1Always Rubbin' Sumpin'
  2. 2Go Pig or Go Home
  3. 3Drunken Monkeys & Whistle Britches
  4. 480Livious
  5. 5Meat Your Maker
Overall ChampionTamm Good Eating 🏆

2024 — Year Two · 21 Teams

Friday: Burning Pianos (keyboard-legends tribute). Saturday: JT Martin.
Best Party Champion: Always Rubbin Sumptin

🥩 Overall BBQ
  1. 1Tamm Good Eating
  2. 2Whistle Britches
  3. 380licious
  4. 4Limp Brisket
  5. 5Slow + Easy
🍗 Chicken
  1. 1Always Rubbin Sumptin
  2. 2Tamm Good Eating
  3. 3Limp Brisket
  4. 4Whistle Britches
  5. 5Drunken Monkeys
🍖 Ribs
  1. 1Meat Your Maker
  2. 2Whistle Britches
  3. 3Buffalo Balls BBQ
  4. 4Nauti Smokers
  5. 5End of the Road BBQ
🐷 Pork
  1. 1Lota Wood
  2. 2Tamm Good Eating
  3. 380licious
  4. 4Just The Tips
  5. 5Smokey Bottom Boys
🥩 Brisket
  1. 1End of the Road BBQ
  2. 2Tamm Good Eating
  3. 3Whistle Britches
  4. 4Smokey Bottom Boys
  5. 5Slow + Easy
🎉 Best Party
  1. 1Always Rubbin Sumptin
  2. 2Go Pig or Go Home
  3. 3Drunken Monkeys
  4. 4Smokin' Sicilians
  5. 580licious
Overall Champion80licious 🏆

2023 — Inaugural Year · 18 Teams

Friday: Landslide (Fleetwood Mac tribute). Saturday: JT Martin.
Best Party Champion: Eddiots

🥩 Overall BBQ
  1. 180licious
  2. 2The Meat Sweats
  3. 3All Four Aces
  4. 4Slow + Easy
  5. 5Drunken Monkeys
🍗 Chicken
  1. 1DGAS Wooden Boat Smokers
  2. 280licious
  3. 3Slow + Easy
  4. 4The Meat Sweats
  5. 5Boot Leather
🍖 Ribs
  1. 1Boot Leather
  2. 2Smoke on the Water
  3. 3The Meat Sweats
  4. 4Whistle Britches
  5. 5Slow + Easy
🐷 Pork
  1. 180licious
  2. 2Smoke on the Water
  3. 3Drunken Monkeys
  4. 4Slow + Easy
  5. 5Whistle Britches
🥩 Brisket
  1. 1Smokin' Sicilians
  2. 2The Meat Sweats
  3. 3All Four Aces
  4. 4Meatheads
  5. 5Just The Tips
🎉 Best Party
  1. 1Eddiots
  2. 2The Vintage DGAS Wooden Boat Smokers
  3. 3Go Pig or Go Home
  4. 4All Four Aces
  5. 5Drunken Monkeys
In the smoke
Aerial view of Lotasmoke at Stafford Airfield
Lotasmoke BBQ team at their campsite
Lotasmoke competition
BBQ teams at Lotasmoke
Wide aerial view of Lotasmoke competition on the airfield
Crowds at Lotasmoke
Lotasmoke event atmosphere
BBQ team campsite setup at Lotasmoke
Lotasmoke competition
Lotasmoke event
Panoramic view of Lotasmoke at Stafford Airfield
Lotasmoke BBQ
Find us

Getting There

Stafford Airfield Tap / click to open in Google Maps
Stafford Airfield
10417 E Thompson Rd
Lake Lotawana, MO 64086

Behind the Lake Lotawana Association office · Public parking on the south lawn
Get directions