The Great Pacific Barbecue is shaping up as a home away from home for competing chefs who bring pop-up campers, tents, coolers, lawn chairs and whimsical cookers to the city park.

Some 38 chefs signed on for the seventh annual Kansas City sanctioned barbecue cookoff in Pacific Aug. 14-15.

“At least 80 percent of them were repeats,” said Tom Butcher, who was one of the originators of the event and has chaired it every year. “One, Tuxedo from Owensville, has been here every year.”

Forty individuals signed up to judge the competition, including two judges from Kansas City. The Pacific Partnership sponsors the event.

On Friday evening the tasters choice event, which was started last year, drew a large crowd. Barbecue lovers lined up at rows of tables, where chefs had prepared special samples for them to taste and judge.

The feast was set up in the large pavilion in the city park. The price to taste was $5 each, which raised funds to offset competition costs.

New this year, a dessert competition took place on Saturday evening. The chefs who usually specialize in chicken, beef brisket and pork outdid themselves, making individual peach cobblers in small Dutch ovens and peaches with honey.

S’mores, layered in wine glasses, earned the $150 best dessert prize for Four Smokin Butts from Millstadt, Ill.

The top prize of $1,500 in the barbecue competition went to Munchin Hogs on the Hilton.

Another first this year was a benefit for the Tri-County Community Senior Center. All leftover competition food was donated to the senior center. Pacific Foods donated four port buts and one of the competitors, PM BBQ, donated another five butts. Some 100 senior center patrons paid $5 each to taste the barbecue.

“We made $500 on the barbecue and Kay LeClaire held a fundraiser that raised another $100,” said Sheila Steelman, who serves on the senior center board of directors. “It was a great event for the center.”

Other volunteers were Don Hazelwood, Monica Mahler, LeClaire, Bill McLaren, Loyd Harris and Steelman.

“Partnership President Mike Bagwell and his sons worked their behinds off,” Butcher said. “This is definitely a group thing and it looks like the city is beginning to accept this annual classic event.”