Kansas’ agricultural trademark program, From the Land of Kansas, invites tailgaters to participate in the second annual From the Land of Kansas Tailgate Contest. The contest, presented by Manhattan Hy-Vee, will be held September 5, 2015 prior to the Kansas State University vs. South Dakota football game.

Tailgate contest participants are challenged to create dishes featuring Kansas ingredients. Winners will not only be named champion, but will also receive From the Land of Kansas memorabilia and a gift card from Manhattan Hy-Vee. The overall tailgate dish winner will also be featured on a television segment of Chef Alli’s Farm Fresh Kitchen on WIBW.

The deadline for registration is August 28. Tailgaters in the east or west paved lots of the Bill Snyder Family Stadium are invited to participate. There are three categories: main dish, side dish or dessert. Contestants may enter one dish per category and may compete in no more than two of the three categories. 

Judging will take place prior to kickoff and contestants will be given a scheduled time between 1:00-6:00 p.m. to showcase their dishes. Dishes will be evaluated using the following criteria:

·         Flavor and Taste – 40 points

·         Presentation and Appearance – 25 points

·         Use of Kansas Products – 20 points; 5 points per product

·         Creativity – 15 points

To register a tailgate, email FromtheLandofKansas@kda.gov. Participants must include the category/categories they plan to enter and the parking spot number of their tailgate location. Entries are limited to five participants per category.

The From the Land of Kansas trademark program serves to meet the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s mission to promote the Kansas agriculture industry and support agribusinesses by expanding markets for Kansas agricultural products.

To learn more about the From the Land of Kansas program or to find Kansas products that can be incorporated into dishes, visit FromtheLandofKansas.com/tailgate.