Chubbs Brew-BQ raises funds for community groups
John Hanson talked with Dom Korbel and Dan Korbel at the Korbel Bros. BBQ as he sampled their contest entry. Staff photo by Karen M. Jorgensen
Eleven brewers and nine BBQ teams gathered at the Beer Garden at the Steele County Free Fairgrounds last Saturday, for the ninth annual Chubb’s Brew-BQ, a fundraising event sponsored by the Juan Villarreal Jr. Memorial Fund.
Villarreal died in 2015, said Jessica Walerius, who was Villarreal’s siter-in-law.
Villarreal, she said, nicknamed Chubb, was active in the community and he was passionate about making the world a better place. Among the organizations he supported were the Crisis Resource Center of Steele County, Big Brothers Big Sisters and From the Heart Run.
After his death, Walerius said, the family and friends decided to start the memorial fund in his memory with the first event held in 2016. It has continued every year since then with the exception of two years during Covid.
Each year, she said, the funds raised by the event are given to a local organization.
In 2026, she said, the beneficiary is The Lighthouse of Southern MN, an organization that supports those experiencing homelessness.
Since the fundraising effort began, $150,000 has been given to local organizations, said Matt Walerius.
The money raised by a raffle conducted at the event will go to the Steele County Humane Society.
For the second year, Let’s Smile staff were on hand outside the Beer Garden Saturday with their Molar Roller vehicle accepting donations to help students get dental services.
The evening included BBQ tastings and sampling of the brews from local breweries along with the raffle and entertainment.
BBQ teams competing in the BBQ contest included Blue Collar BBQ, Diablo BBQ, Just a Tad BBQ, Korbel Bros. BBQ; OBW Spice Girls; Smokin J’s BBQ and Thermodynamics, all of Owatonna and DG Smoke, Blooming Prairie and Neighbor’s Meats, New Richland.
Brewers at the event included Backstory Brewing, Baker Street Irregular Brewing, Blind Eye Brewing, Bru Bois, Door #3 Brewing, Goon Docks Brewing, Ozone Brewing, Raze Brewing, Seven Sins Hard Ciders, Shadow Valley Brewery and Unruly Brewing.
Entertainment for the event included music by Bruce Lepert, The Leopards in the afternoon on the Beer Garden Patio and a concert by Jake Nelson in the evening.