The Wharf Kicks Off Football Season With Tailgate Cook-Off Football season kicks off early in Orange Beach this weekend, with plenty of food on the menu. The Coastal Tailgate Cook-Off Challenge returns to The Wharf for its fourth year. This year's competition puts bacon in the spotlight, and fans will help decide the winners. The event will be held this Saturday, August 22, from noon to 3 p.m. on the Marina Lawn at The Wharf. The Coastal Alabama Business Chamber is organizing the event, which is presented by Columbia Southern University. This year's competitors will prepare bacon-inspired tailgate dishes for guests and judges. Professional and amateur cooking teams will bring their own creative ideas for turning bacon into something worthy of a football Saturday. The stakes go beyond local bragging rights. Competitors are vying for a Golden Ticket to the World Food Championships in Indianapolis, Indiana. The winner will earn the right to compete in the Bacon category on the national stage. Admission is $20 and includes 10 tasting tickets to sample dishes prepared by the competing teams. Additional tasting tickets will be available for those who want to sample more entries. Guests will also have a say in the outcome by voting for the People's Choice Award, and the winning team will receive a trophy and prize package. Fans are encouraged to dress for the occasion in their favorite team's colors and gear. Organizers will select a Best Dressed Fan during the event, adding another fun competition to the afternoon. The event is designed to be more than just a cooking contest. The Marina Lawn will have the feel of a football tailgate, giving families and sports fans a place to eat, cheer for their favorite cooks, and get ready for the upcoming college football season. To add to the entertainment, live music will be playing at Portside during the day, with Tim Nowell scheduled to perform from noon until 4 p.m. The Coastal Tailgate Cook-Off has become an annual late-summer event in Orange Beach. The Marina Lawn is located toward the waterfront side of The Wharf at 23101 Canal Road in Orange Beach. Parking is available around The Wharf, including nearby parking garages. For those coming hungry, the message from organizers is simple: Sample the food, support the competitors, and wear your favorite team's colors as another football season gets underway on the Alabama Gulf Coast. For more information, visit the Coastal Tailgate Cook-Off website.

Coastal Alabama Business Chamber Host Tailgate Cook-Off Challenge at The Wharf The Coastal Alabama Business Chamber is bringing back one of the Alabama Gulf Coast's most popular food events. The 4th Annual Coastal Tailgate Cook-Off Challenge, presented by Columbia Southern University, will return to Orange Beach. The event is a fundraiser for the chamber's education programs. Professional and amateur cooks from across the Southeast are invited to compete. The event is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, at The Wharf's Marina Lawn, between Levin's Bend condominium and the Orange Beach Event Center. Organizers say competitors will cook tailgate-themed dishes centered on bacon. The cook-off is hosted by the Coastal Alabama Business Chamber (CABC), which has served the Gulf Shores and Orange Beach area since 1981. The top prize at the competition is a Golden Ticket to compete in the bacon category at the World Food Championships (WFC), which will be held later this year in Indianapolis, Ind. A panel of judges certified in the WFC's proprietary scoring system, the E.A.T.™ Methodology, will select the Golden Ticket winner. Event attendees will also vote for a People's Choice Award. Past Golden Ticket winners have come from across the region. In 2023, Chef Geoff Maynard of Memphis, Tenn., won the top spot. Maynard had already earned a WFC Golden Ticket before competing and awarded the 2023 ticket to the next-highest finisher, Maegan Bratton of Gulf Shores. The Gulf, based in Orange Beach, won in 2024, and Wolf Bay Lodge of Foley took home the Golden Ticket in 2025. Cooks who want to compete can register for the $100 entry fee. The competition is open to individuals and teams, both amateur and professional. Rules, details, and the sign-up form are available on the event's registration page on the CABC website. Tickets for those who just want to attend are $20 and can be purchased in advance or at the door. Admission includes entry to The Wharf's Marina Lawn, 10 sampling tickets for competitors' food, and one vote for the People's Choice Award. Drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, will be available for purchase at the event. Attendees are also encouraged to dress in their best college football fan attire, as organizers will be giving out a "best dressed fan" award. The tailgate theme runs throughout the event, from the food to the dress code, making it a celebration of football season food culture. Businesses interested in sponsoring the event can contact CABC Director of Events and Sponsorships Kimberly Ray at [email protected] or by calling 251.968.7208.