SteakTober Fest set for downtown Cameron Saturday

Get your tastebuds ready for a new tradition in Cameron.

The Cameron Chamber of Commerce and Working for Cameron will host SteakTober Fest this Saturday in historic downtown Cameron.

The event will feature a steak cookoff competition, historical tours of downtown museums and the courthouse, a steak dinner and artisans to shop with. The festivities will kick off at 10 a.m. and go until 8 p.m.

The Steak Cookoff Association competition will feature 44 Farms ribeyes.  Fifty cookers will compete for a chance to move on to another competition. Working for Cameron is sanctioned by the SCA and the winner will win an invitation to compete in the Fort Worth Championship Cookoff at Billy Bob’s.  

The Chamber will be selling 44 Farms Ribeye Steak Dinner tickets for $30. The dinner includes a baked potato, salad, all the trimmings, homemade bread, homemade dessert, and tea or water.  Steaks will be prepared by chef from YO Steakhouse in Dallas. Tickets are almost sold out, but can be purchased by calling the Chamber office at (254) 697-4979 or contacting any Chamber board member.

The festival will also feature historic tours of the Milam County Courthouse, conducted by the Milam County Historical Commission members.  The Milam County Historical Jail will also be open with tours being conducted by Milam County Historical Museum members.

The Milam County Museum will feature speakers with various historical presentations.  Judge Ed Magre from Cameron will present “Crazy Horse - A Sketch” and Steve Young will have a presentation on San Andres Masonic Lodge Cameron. 

To kick off Texas Archeology Awareness Month, Archeologist Sergio Iruegas, a 12th generation Texan, will speak on the “Rancheria Grande Discovered: Pathway Between Spanish Tejas and the American Revolution.”  Iruegas and his wife Melinda have conducted historical research and archaeological investigations in the San Antonio, Nacogdoches, and Milam County areas. Their research focuses on how the Tejano Ranchos and Native Villages evolved from the Spanish Mission complexes. The Ranchería Grande research reports represent the 10th volume in a series of reports on Spanish missions, ranchos and native villages and their role in the American Revolutionary War effort.

There will be videos of old town Cameron for viewing and Cameron business and downtown activity in the 1930’s and 1940’s.  The Old Town Cameron miniature of Cameron in the 1940’s will be open with the miniature trains running during the day and information about Railroads in Milam County. 

The Cameron Post Office will be 100 years old this year and it is also on the downtown map, along with First United Methodist Church and All Saints Episcopal Church, who will open their doors for tours and history of their organizations. 

Artisans will have displays of pottery, stained glass, paintings, metal and wood works, jewelry, homemade breads, jams, jellies, soaps, and other goods.

Raffle tickets are being sold with packages featuring 44 Farms Beef Package, YO Steakhouse Package, Shop Cameron Prize Package with over $500 in gift cards/certificates from Cameron Businesses, and a Ben Milam Bourbon and Rye Whiskey Package. Tickets are $20.

Wineries will set up in local buildings for sipping wine and enjoying the events. Black Label Cigars from Nicaragua will be attending. 

Randy Billingsley will schedule Tales of Texas History on the courthouse lawn dressed in buckskins, with his cannon so come join in and listen to his stories. 

Music will be in all corners of the square and all genres - from polka jam sessions to country, rock and roll, jazz and bluegrass. Milton Wright and Arthur Zarosky will entertain with their accordions, for flavorful Czech music on the square, along with Casey Stanislaw, Bob Yates and jazz artist Nester Rios and Jazz Combo. The music stage will be located between Classic Bank and City Hall.

For more information, call the Chamber office at (254) 697-4979.