Michelle WhiteReporter

Eating contests, live music, beer gardens and a new pizza contest will all be found at the second annual Jackrabbit Bash.

The event will kick off on Sept. 18 from 1 p.m. until midnight in downtown Brookings.

One new event this year is the “local pizza throw-down”.

The throw-down is a blind taste testing where participants8212;members of the community and SDSU students alike8212;will vote on which of five local pizza places has the best thin crust pepperoni pizza.

George’s Pizza, Sun-dried Tomato Pizzeria, Boss’ Pizza and Chicken, Pizza King and Papa John’s are all local challengers.

John Seward, director of Downtown Brookings, Inc., which is sponsoring the event, said there are 250 tickets for sale and the first 75 people to arrive at the event will receive a free soda.

The cost of tickets are $5, or $1 per slice.

“Of the $5, $4 go back to the businesses and $1 benefits Downtown Brookings, Inc.,” Seward said.

The tickets can be purchased at any of the participating pizza businesses or from the Downtown Brookings, Inc. office at 414 Main Ave., Seward said.

According to Seward a total of 1,250 slices of pizza will be available with each restaurant donating 25 pies.

“Winner of the contest will take home the traveling Golden Pizza Pie Pan,” Seward said.

Andrew Olson, a junior at SDSU, has a prediction of his own for who will win the pizza contest.

“I hope Papa John’s wins, but I think Boss’ will win the contest,” Olson said.

Darin Nagelhout, owner of Boss’ Pizza and Chicken, said he is looking forward to the event and thinks there is good competition among the five pizza places.

“I love that Boss’ is a part of the event and wish such events happened more often,” Nagelhout said.

This year’s events include:

Nick’s Hamburger Eating Contest

Battle-of-the-Bands

Chess Boxing

Brookings Pizza Showdown

Fire Truck Pull

Benefit for Special Olympics

All-Day Beer Garden

#1.1599875:2145339435.jpg:The Jackrabbit Bash this year is Sept. 18 at 1 p.m. until around midnight. :The Jackrabbit Bash this year is Sept. 18 at 1 p.m. until around midnight. :Collegian photo by Ryan Robinson