Nebraska State Fair 1868 Foundation Kicks Off the 2024 State Fair
1868 Foundation Great Steak Debate event adds friendly competition to the Fair.
The Blue Ribbon Kick Off - The Great Steak Debate, presented by Galloway Financial Advisors and Cash Wa Distributing is set for Friday, August 23, at 6:00pm at the Pump & Pantry Party Pavilion, on the Nebraska State Fairgrounds. The Annual Blue-Ribbon Kick Off celebrates great Nebraska steak in a competition featuring Certified Piedmontese New York Striploin between the Chefs of Country Club of Lincoln and Riverside Golf Club. Each chef will be partnered with a local celebrity to prepare their best steak dish.
Attendees get to be the judge on who is crowned the 2024 Winner of the Great Steak Debate! Guests will also enjoy mouth-watering samples of darn near every breed of beef you can find in Nebraska. From Certified Angus, Morgan Ranch American Wagyu to Certified Piedmontese and everything in between guests will certainly enjoy an evening filled with some of Nebraska’s finest. There will be sipping of perfectly paired wines and cold beverages - all in celebration of the 155th annual Nebraska State Fair.
“There is nothing more Nebraskan than enjoying the Fair - complete with good friends and a perfectly grilled steak,” said Lindsey Koepke, executive director of the 1868 Foundation. “This fundraiser is not only a feature of some of Nebraska’s legendary breeds, but also an opportunity for the Foundation to raise much-needed funds for the continued growth of the fair – like the need to increase the state fair premiums distributed to youth who participate in the Large Market Animal divisions of both 4-H and FFA at the fair.”
Chef Eron Baker is the competing chef from Riverside Golf Club and is a 23-year veteran of the food service and hospitality industry. Partnering with Chef Baker is the newly appointed Club Manager of Riverside Golf Club, Jack Goldberg and Alyssa Folmer.
Executive Chef Lorin Dagel is the competing chef from the Country Club of Lincoln and has been there for over 13 years.
Partnering with Chef Lorin and Allyson is Tom McKitterick with Doug and Pam Ganz. Tom has been the CEO/GM of the Country Club of Lincoln for over 16 years.
Doug has been a member of the Pinnacle Bank team in Lincoln for over 25 years. His wife Pam is a pediatric oncology counselor by training who spent seven years at Phoenix Children’s Hospital.
Tickets are $75 per guest, for all you can eat steak and opportunities to judge the Great Steak Debate. Purchase tickets through: https://qtego.us/l/1868foundation/tickets. Additionally, votes can be placed on or off site for $1 each, through the following links:
Country Club of Lincoln:
Riverside Golf Club:
With a history older than the state itself, the Nebraska State Fair combines tradition with innovation to produce an educational and exciting event for the entire family. From Auburn to Chadron, Benkelman to Hartington and every town along the way, the Nebraska State Fair has 155-year tradition of celebrating the pride of all Nebraskan's. To date, nearly 4-million visitors have passed through the gates of the Nebraska State Fair since its move to Grand Island in 2010.
About Nebraska State Fair 1868 Foundation
Established in 1989, the purpose of the Nebraska State Fair 1868 Foundation is to raise funds for the overall improvement of the Nebraska State Fair. As a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, the 1868 Foundation has raised over 3.8 million in funds for improvements the fair needs to continue to grow. For information about the Nebraska State Fair 1868 Foundation and continue the winning tradition of education, competition and celebration, please visit https://1868foundation.org/ or connect with Lindsey at lkoepke@statefair.org or 402-432-1393.