GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO) - The Colorado Pork and Hops Challenge was hoppin' Friday with swarms of hungry people hanging over monster grills. The fun, food and prepping kicked off Thursday and will continue through Saturday.

Contestants deemed Friday's competition as the "anything but" portion, where dishes containing anything but pork, brisket or chicken were flamed up. Those ingredients are saved for the big event Saturday.

Certified judges sampled and rated the dishes between 1 and 9, everything from lobster to elk. Competitors also lined up to turn in an incredible array of desserts, which were also judged.

Up to $20,000 is up for grabs throughout the competition for winners. Some contestants who travel with the Kansas City Barbecue Society's tour spend hundreds of dollars to enter the different competitions around the country.

Those grillers are certainly in it to win it, as the competition fires up Saturday.