Pennsylvania Beef Council and PIAA Seek Pennsylvania’s Best Fall Sports Concession Stand with Increased $500 Prize
Third annual Beef’s Best Concession Stand Contest celebrates creative beef dishes, school spirit and the volunteers who fuel Friday night traditions
BEDFORD, Pa. — Oct. 22, 2026 — From sizzling burgers to slow-cooked beef sandwiches, some of the best game-day traditions happen beyond the field. The Pennsylvania Beef Council (PBC), through the Northeast Beef Promotion Initiative (NEBPI), a subcontractor to the Beef Checkoff, and in partnership with the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA), is inviting schools across the Commonwealth to showcase their best beef dishes in the third annual Beef’s Best Fall Concession Stand Contest.
“Some of the best traditions in high school sports happen around the concession stand, where families, fans and volunteers come together to support their schools,” said Kylie Lusk, Director of Consumer Affairs for the Northeast Beef Promotion Initiative. “We're excited to bring Beef’s Best back for a third year with an even bigger prize. We want to see the creative ways schools are serving beef and recognize the people who make these game-day experiences so special.”
This year, the stakes are even higher, with the grand prize increased to $500, doubling last year's award. Schools and booster organizations have until November 10, 2026, to nominate their concession stands and showcase the beef dishes that keep fans coming back for more.
The contest celebrates the creativity, dedication, and community spirit behind Pennsylvania's school concession stands, where parent volunteers, booster clubs, and school organizations serve up game-day favorites while supporting student-athletes and extracurricular programs.
“Some of the best traditions in high school sports happen around the concession stand, where families, fans and volunteers come together to support their schools,” said Kylie Lusk, Director of Consumer Affairs for the Northeast Beef Promotion Initiative. “We're excited to bring Beef’s Best back for a third year with an even bigger prize. We want to see the creative ways schools are serving beef and recognize the people who make these game-day experiences so special.”
The contest builds on the Pennsylvania Beef Council's ongoing partnership with PIAA, which designates beef as the association's Preferred Protein. The collaboration highlights beef's role in supporting active lifestyles while connecting Pennsylvania's beef community with student-athletes, families and fans.
“Concession stands are an important part of the high school sports experience, and the volunteers who operate them contribute so much to their school communities,” said Nichole Hockenberry, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Beef Council. “The concession stand contest is an opportunity to celebrate their hard work while showcasing the flavor, versatility, and nutritional value of beef. We're looking forward to discovering more of Pennsylvania's hometown favorites this fall.”
Last year's contest crowned Spring-Ford High School's Boys Soccer Program as the 2025 Beef's Best winner for its popular Kenney Burger. Parent volunteer Daniel Kenney created the made-to-order smash burger, which became a community favorite and helped transform the team's concession stand into a successful fundraising operation. Within just three home games, Kenney Burger sales surpassed the concession stand's entire previous year's sales.
Spring-Ford demonstrates the power of a great beef dish to do more than fill a plate, bringing families together, building school pride, and supporting student programs.
“Concession stands are an important part of the high school sports experience, and the volunteers who operate them contribute so much to their school communities,” said Nichole Hockenberry, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Beef Council. “The concession stand contest is an opportunity to celebrate their hard work while showcasing the flavor, versatility, and nutritional value of beef. We're looking forward to discovering more of Pennsylvania's hometown favorites this fall.”
Schools participating in the Pennsylvania Beef Council's PA Beef to PA Schools program are also encouraged to enter. The contest offers another opportunity to highlight beef's value in school communities and celebrate the foodservice professionals, volunteers, and local partnerships that make school meals and athletic events memorable.
Entries are open now through November 10, 2026. Schools, booster organizations, and concession stand volunteers are encouraged to submit their nominations at:
www.pabeef.org/2026-beefs-best-fall-concession-stand-contest
Whether it's a signature burger, a hearty beef sandwich or another crowd-pleasing favorite, the Pennsylvania Beef Council wants to discover the beef dishes that make game day special across the Commonwealth.
Media Contact:
Kylie Lusk
Consumer Affairs Director, Pennsylvania Beef Council
(814) 623-2698 [email protected]
About the Pennsylvania Beef Council
The Pennsylvania Beef Council is a producer-controlled and funded organization, which administers the Beef Checkoff Program in Pennsylvania. The Beef Checkoff Program assesses $1 per head on the sale of live domestic and imported cattle, in addition to a comparable assessment on imported beef and beef products. Checkoff revenues may be used for promotion, education and research programs to improve the marketing climate for beef.
###
The Beef Checkoff Program was established as part of the 1985 Farm Bill. The Checkoff assesses $1 per head on the sale of live domestic and imported cattle, in addition to a comparable assessment on imported beef and beef products. States may retain up to 50 cents on the dollar and forward the other 50 cents per head to the Cattlemen's Beef Promotion and Research Board, which administers the national Checkoff program, subject to USDA approval. Internal links within this document are funded and maintained by the Beef Checkoff. All other outgoing links are to websites maintained by third parties.