Big Green Egg enthusiasts planning Moonbow Eggfest for Sept. 20 in Corbin

Tim Barnes and Mel Chandler Jr. regular use The Big Green Egg to cook. They are organizing the first Moonbow Eggfest, which will take place Sept. 20 in NIBROC Park as a way to bring fans of the cooking device to town.

Enthusiasts of the odd-shaped, all-in-one cooking device called “The Big Green Egg” will be filling downtown Corbin with the smells of their favorite mouth-water recipes this September during the first ever Moonbow Eggfest.

Set for Sept.  20 starting at noon, Moonbow Eggfest organizer Tim Barnes said he hopes everyone who attends will see exactly why Big Green Egg hobbyists are so excited about the unique grill.

The Big Green Egg is an egg-shaped dome cooker that uses natural wood or charcoal as fuel. Its design allows it to be used for a variety of different cooking styles from grilling and smoking to baking and more.

“You can literally do anything you want with it,” Barnes said. “You can do anything from pizzas to desserts or whatever. They are pretty amazing. Essentially, it’s really just and old Indian oven.”

Barnes said all the participants in the event will be cooking different items (i.e. chicken wings, bar-b-que pork and beef, brisket, steaks, sliders, etc.) and those who attend can buy a ticket that will entitle them to a small tasting of everything being prepared. He plans to cook “poor man’s steak,” which is smoked bologna, and mac and cheese. He also makes what is called “triple threat dessert” which consists of three different kinds of chocolate and peanut butter.

“That’s the great thing about these. Everybody has their favorite recipes and they come and they swap them back and forth. It’s a great time,” Barnes said. “I’ve had mine for about two years now and I’m amazed at what you can do with it.”

According to the officials schedule for Moonbow Eggfest, which can be found online at www.moonboweggfest.com, the lighting of the Eggs will begin at noon, followed by cooking demonstrations at 2:00 p.m., 3:30 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.

The event will be held the same evening as the Corbin Color Run 5k, which takes place at 6:00 p.m. downtown. The Eggs will be shut down at 6:30 p.m. At 8:45 p.m., a live band will play onstage in NIBROC Park for what is being called “Green Eggs and Jam,” a post cook and race wind down party.

Barnes, who is planning the event with Mel Chandler Jr., said he’d like to have 200 or so participants in the event, but doesn’t truly know what to expect the first time out.

Stephen Lowe, co-owner of Lowe Pools Inc., the local retailer that sells The Big Green Egg, said he plans to have several Big Green Eggs available for demonstrations and for sale. They range in price from $400 to $3,500.

“It really took me three or four years to really believe that people would pay that much for one of these things, but they are pretty amazing,” Lowe said. “Basically, they have a cult following. Just like NASCAR has its die-hard fanatics, the Big Green Egg has its die hard ‘eggheads.’ These eggfests are just groups of people who love to grill and smoke and stuff and they are a lot of fun.”
Lowe said he and his wife use a Big Green Egg to cook meals four to five times a week.

“My wife will actually make chocolate chip cookies in the thing,” Lowe said, noting the various uses for the Big Green Egg. “It’s kind of funny for the kids to say to their mom they want her to grill us some chocolate chip cookies, but really anything you can bake in your oven you can bake in your Egg.”

Moonbow Eggfest is being sponsored by the Corbin Tourism and Convention Commission. For more information on the vent, go online to www.moonboweggfest.com.