Thousand Oaks, Calif.-The third annual Old Boney Mountain Hot Summer Night festival had an added mission this year-to encourage the community to support the almost 20 participating local businesses including restaurants and breweries that continue to operate while following social distancing rules. In addition, the July 11 virtual festival raised money for Rotary charities, first responders and the Grossman Burn Foundation http://grossmanburnfoundation.com/ for its care of burn survivors. Presented by Old Boney Mountain Hot Sauce Corp. and the Rotary Club of Newbury Park, the premiere sponsor was Farmers Insurance.
More than 200 hot sauces and BBQ sauces from around the world were entered in the competition, the most since the festival began.
Judging took place prior to the festival in outdoor locations in Newbury Park. Judges included Cristina Ferrare, culinary author and “Food For Thought” talk-show host, Chef Eric Kopelow, chief operating officer at Gourmet Foods Inc., Master Chef and culinary editor at Westlake and West Luxury magazines and Scott Erickson, former major league baseball pitcher and foodie.
“Judges sampled hot sauces and BBQ sauces in six divisions during a blind tasting competition over six days,” says event co-chair Jeff Losey of Old Boney Mountain Hot Sauce Company. “The public got a chance to then cast their vote for People’s Choice Awards.”
2020 People’s Choice Award Winners
People’s Choice World’s Favorite Hot Sauce HAB SAUCE, Spicy Sweet Soy
People’s Choice World’s Favorite BBQ Sauce Rivera Hot Sauce, Scorpion
Ghost BBQ
People’s Choice World’s Favorite Hot Sauce Label Steel City Sauce Company
The entire list of winners is available online at http://www.oldboneymtnhotsummernight.com (click on “Awards”).
For the first time, Festival Tasting Boxes were available for purchase. The boxes contained beverages, seasonings and discounts to local businesses. Box purchasers were able to sample beer and spirits while listening to brewers discuss their beverages in real time during the virtual event. “The boxes quickly sold out,” says Losey. “We plan on offering them again next year-whether we’re live or virtual.”
Besides Farmers Insurance, other sponsors included GoBeDo Productions, Rotary Club of Newbury Park, Old Boney Mountain Foundation For Kids, Grossman Burn Foundation, Event Essentials, Storm-Larsen & Co., Wealth Care Alliance, Children Skills for Life, Praxis Group, Chicago Title Company and RSH Photography.
The 2021 festival is set for July 15 at The Greens at Los Robles Golf Course in Thousand Oaks. This year’s virtual festival and local business videos are available at the Old Boney Mountain Hot Sauce Festival YouTube Channel<YouTube%20Channel> (https://bit.ly/OldBoneyMtn).
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