A new downtown event is coming to Columbus on Aug. 27.
The Columbus Main Street Association and Mitchell Distributing will host the first Bud and Burgers competition at the Riverwalk. The competition will allow restaurants and home cooks to assemble teams and compete for prizes.
The event will begin at 4 p.m., with winners announced at 7:30 p.m.
The event is open to the public to sample burgers for a $5 entry fee. Soft drinks will be available for purchase, as well as Budweiser products for attendees who are at least 21 years old.
To enter the burger cook-off, teams of four must pay a $25 entry fee by Aug. 17 at the Columbus Main Street office at 107 5th St. N. Registration forms, which are available on the Mitchell Distributing Facebook page, can also be emailed to [email protected].
Main Street Executive Director Barbara Bigelow said Bud and Burgers is special because proceeds will benefit Main Street’s beautification committee.
“Beautification is to keep our downtown area visually appealing to the public and make people feel comfortable and safe to come down,” Bigelow said. “This is an effort to increase our funding in that area.”
Bigelow said Bud and Burgers will feature music, but organizers are still working to determine who will play.
In a news release, Bigelow said she’s excited to welcome the event to Columbus.
“We are excited to partner with Mitchell Distributing and so pleased that they chose to include Columbus in their summertime activities,” Bigelow said. “Main Street Columbus is glad to have the opportunity to again take advantage of our beautiful downtown Riverwalk.”
Anna Grace Ward, communications manager for Mitchel Companies, said Columbus’ Bud and Burgers event will be the third the company has hosted in Mississippi. She said Anheuser-Busch holds Bud and Burgers events across the country.
“Last fall, we decided to do one in Meridian,” she said. “We didn’t know what the turnout would be, and it was a huge success. We held another in Tupelo this past spring. We wanted to bring it to Columbus as well.”
Ward said Bud and Burgers will feature prizes, including a Big Green Egg grill as a grand prize. She said other prizes are still being worked out, but may include things such as coolers.
Alex Holloway was formerly a reporter with The Dispatch.
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