2007 - The Beginning
The 1st Annual Kenbridge Wild Game, Stew & BBQ Cook-Off was held in 2007.  This one-day charitable event is centered on the family, and scheduled for the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend, to honor all the men and women, past and present, who have served in our country’s Armed Forces.
The event was conceived by Steve Israel, who along with his wife Pat, retired to the town of Kenbridge after military and civilian careers.  Steve had attended a similar event in Galveston, Texas, with his son Tom, and was very impressed with how much fun could be had, and how much good could be done for the local community, by an event such as this.  Seeing that BBQ and Stew cooking fund raisers are popular in Southside Virginia, Steve proposed the idea of a Cook-Off in Kenbridge to John Scales who serves on the Board of Lunenburg County Ministries, a local charitable organization. With John’s enthusiastic support and the encouragement of Donnie Neblett, planning for the 1st Annual Kenbridge Wild Game, Stew and BBQ Cook-Off was begun.
The team was soon joined by Randy Lail as Treasurer.  Randy accomplished the establishment of the Lunenburg Charity Fund, Inc., a tax-exempt, non-profit, 501(c)(3) charitable organization.  Discussions with Kenbridge Mayor Dicky Harris and the Kenbridge Town Council provided the approval to proceed with a first class Memorial Day weekend event to be held at the new Kenbridge Community Center on 5th Avenue (Rt. 137/138).
John Mahaney took on the responsibility for organizing and fielding the cooking teams.  John is well known in Southside Virginia as a dedicated Stew and BBQ cook with a keen sense of humor and willingness to participate in charity fundraisers.  The team began to grow in numbers with many local residents contributing their time and expertise.  Nancy Bridgforth who had participated in the planning and execution of Kenbridge’s 75th Anniversary as a town, volunteered to organize the parade.  Kristin Hodges presented the parades’s “opening act”, a children’s and pet parade. Sallie Ann Buchanan put together a team to organize children’s activities at the Cook-Off site.  Rex Wolf has agreed to manage the logistics.  Local pastors, Jon Parks and Colonel Hobbs, scheduled the annual Lunenburg County Ministries Walk-A-Thon to be held the same day on that first year, and they also planned and conducted the Memorial Day Remembrance Service.  Serving the food prepared by the cook teams was the job of four combined Southside Ruritan clubs.  The website was a project of Cassie Duarte’s Central High School computer class, with Kaitlynn Slaughter, Alex Walker and Derrick Cleaton responsible for its design.
Steve loves Bluegrass music, so he contacted “Sweet Brenda and Him”, local Bobcat Radio (WBBC) DJs, to emcee an evening Bluegrass Show for the event.  The Wallace family, well known locally for their country music abilities, has agreed to join the show along with an appearance by George Winn.  Randy Waller and The Country Gentlemen also performed.
The first-year Cook-Off event was planned also as the basis for gatherings and entertainment for the Town of Kenbridge celebration of its 100th anniversary in May of 2008.  It was a great success both in fundraising and in providing a fun event for the community!

2008 - The Kenbridge Centennial
Incorporation of the Town of Kenbridge was approved by the Virginia Assembly on March 14, 1908.  The 2008 Cook-Off event anchored the Town of Kenbridge Centennial Celebration.  A special Kenbridge Town Council meeting was held on March 14, 2008 to receive commemorative resolutions from the Virginia Legislature and the Lunenburg County Board of Supervisors.   Markers delineating the Fifth Avenue Historic District will also be dedicated at this time.   A special marker will be placed at the location of the Kennedy Store, which literally and symbolically marked the center of the Town prior to 1908.
The festivities planned for the Memorial Day weekend (May 23-25) were announced at the commemoration event.  The opening event would start on Friday with a golf tournament and a Town of Kenbridge Reunion Dinner.   The Lunenburg Chamber of Commerce would sponsor a Talent/No Talent Show that evening in the Kenbridge Community Center auditorium.  Saturday would begin with a parade and continue with the Remembrance Service, Cook-Off competition and great food, and activities and entertainment for children all afternoon. In the evening, The Wallace Family in Concert would present two shows.  On Sunday, with the assistance of the Lunenburg County Historical Society, a number of homes and gardens in the Fifth Avenue Historic District would be open for tours, as would several of the historic churches in town.
The Centennial Celebration brought the Town together, and brought many former residents “home to Kenbridge”.  The funds raised were able to make significant contributions to five different local charitable organizations.

2009 - 3rd Annual Cook-Off
The 3rd Annual Wild Game, Stew & BBQ Cook-Off again was held on Memorial Day weekend as in previous years.  The main difference last year was a temporary change in location for the event.  Due to the renovation of the Town of Kenbridge Community Center grounds, the annual charity event took place on the grounds of the Kenbridge Industrial Park, on the K-V Road (Rt. 40) in the northwest area of Town.
The day will began with a better-than-ever Memorial Day parade up East 5th Avenue (Rt. 137/138) to South Broad Street and then to the Industrial Park and the Cook-Off event.  The Remembrance Service was an outdoor event. Several entertainers took the stage for various performances; the children also enjoyed the barrel train, petting zoo, face painting, and lots of games.  Attendees wandered the cook tents and could taste what’s cooking for a small fee, or buy a complete meal at the food service tent.
The Holiday Band brought everyone’s favorites for a Beach Music Concert and Dance.

2010 - 4th Annual Cook-Off
The 4th annual Memorial Day Cook-Off was held Saturday May 29th, 2010. Returning to the Kenbridge Town Park on 5th Avenue insured a great turn out of town’s folks, families and friends. The memorial Day Remembrance Service was well attended and attendees enjoyed the remarks given by Rear Admiral Pat Dawson, SC USN (Ret.). The turn out for the cook off was estimated between 800 and 1000 based on plates of food and the number of hot dogs sold. The children’s activities were well attended and appreciated by all because families could bring their children and enjoy a hot dog and a drink and stay all day enjoying the games and activities for our Friday evening entertainment was provided by the Southside Jazz Quintet who played two sets of music including some patriotic numbers from 7PM to 8:30PM. During the Saturday festivities entertainment was provided by the young band Superstition out of South Hill, VA. Once again the children’s parade and the main parade provided just the right kick off for the Saturday all day festivities. The food was great and the celebration was memorable. This year’s charity event raised over $9000.00 for Lunenburg charities.

Join in the fun of the 5th Annual Cook-Off – the best one yet!