Patrolling the Pond: The October Events Issue
Mike Miller, VP Lake Lotawana Home Owner Association
It’s getting more challenging to decide what time of year at the Lake is more active, summer or fall. Certainly most would vote that summer is the most active with warm and breezy weekends bookending memories of time on the water with family and friends. July is typically viewed as the ‘busy’ month on the water highlighted by Independence Day celebrations, fireworks, and Lake Lotawana Days. For the last three years October has become one of the most active months both on and off the lake. It’s almost as if we have been granted a summer extension and an extension that goes beyond the shores of our sparkling waters. Every other year we have the opportunity to view some of the lake’s most beautiful homes via the Lake Lotawana Homes tour. The biennial event and fundraiser for the Lake Lotawana Community Club is something that is a must add to your list. This year’s homes on tour did not disappoint! They were all incredibly stunning! I will speak for those who were fortunate enough to traverse the tour trail this year when I say, “THANK YOU!” to all of the owners for sharing your incredible homes. The creative designs and intricate attention to detail in each home always makes the viewer experience one that is second to none when it comes to homes tours. And like every Lotawana event, volunteers made it happen! Whether you were a house captain, a ticket taker, in-home ushers, or pontoon driver, it’s clear that it takes a small army of cheerful and helpful volunteers to make it all happen. In past years I was a pontoon driver taking guests from house to house. That job was particularly challenging this year as the winds were upwards of 25-30 knots and gusting. I’m happy to report that all guests arrived safely at their destination demonstrating that it wasn’t those boat captains’ first rodeo! Congratulations to everyone on such a successful event. October exciting events moved beyond the shoreline to Stafford Field.
LotaSmoke 3.0
This year marks the 3rd anniversary of LotaSmoke, the BBQ competition that has quickly become a staple of the community and an important fundraiser for Lake Lotawana Parks and Recreation. Through the hard work of Kyle Twenter and Craig Davis as well as their team of >20 volunteers, the 2025 version of LotaSmoke didn’t disappoint. As the time of this writing we are on Day 2 of the event. My original intention in covering LotaSmoke for 2025 was to get some material for this week’s article. There is so much to share around the two-day event that the only way to cover appropriately is to share it over a few issues of the Lotawana News. Everyone was so open to sharing their experiences I want to make sure I give ample voice to those that made it happen. After a Friday evening that was full of fun food, good times with friends, and a talented Madonna/Lady Gaga Tribute band, the real competition takes place today. Friday night did not disappoint. I had the chance to help with the parking intake and registration. That alone was a huge success. You could pre-register parking for a $10 donation or $20 at the door. What a great deal! Bands, food, and fun for $20 on a Friday night? Where else does that happen in 2025? This is a fundraising event that ALL of your support is greatly appreciated! Everyone was very generous and happy to contribute to the cause. And, to show the continued growing success of this event, there were times when 8-10 cars were in the line to get in the gate. It was fun to see and meet everyone coming in with several stating it was their first time at the event. Such a great cause and a great time highlighted by all 21 groups sharing some of their foodie expertise and creative genius. Here are a few highlights.
Entering the door everyone received a token to vote for their favorite party. Tokens were also exchanged for food or drink items. The food variety was all over the board and fantastic! From the 80s menu of sloppy joes and hamburger helper offered by Just the Tips to the Sting-Ray ceviche by Go Pig or Go Home (made from fresh stingray from Lake Lotawana I guessJ) the range of food was amazing. After a few hours parking cars I was ready to dive into just about anything. I heard rumor of the Whiskey Britches/Drunken Monkey’s Cuban sandwich and headed straight to their tent after my shift. They must have been really good because they were gone! I will get some next year! There were so many food items this year that next year I plan to bring a few other roving samplers to help give full coverage the entire menu available. The competition Friday was about the best party. Once again, Team Always Rubbin’ Sumpin took the top prize with their 80s ski-lodge theme featuring an ice-luge, an 80s Aprés-ski buffet, and metallic-silver jump suited and fur dressed guests. I caught up with Katie White who guided the creative brainstorming for the group that started in March with monthly meetings and vision boards. That’s commitment! Other winners included Go Pig or Go Home with Gary and Neil Snow parading around in orange and blue suits from end-to-end of the event. When asked what happens to the suits next? Dumpster! I am not sure what the entire headcount was for the event for Friday evening, but it must have broken some kind of record. It certainly broke the mold.
Day 2 was another success. The competitors started getting serious about smoking four different meats: chicken, ribs, pork, and brisket. Four different meats. Four different deadlines all 30 minutes apart. Entries are rated on presentation, taste, and tenderness. For those new to BBQ (if that is such a thing living in KC), different meats require different smoke times. Some teams started smoking brisket at 10pm Friday night! There is no doubt that BBQ competitions are a commitment. I had the chance to interview several of the teams and team captains over the course of the two-day event. I will share more of those interviews in the next edition of the Lotawana news. Several of the teams were 3-year vets with a long list of competitive experience. For others this was their first LotaSmoke. In talking with some of the veteran judges, apparently a few judges from year two decided they could be contestants in year three. Perhaps they were inspired or just thought they could do better. I asked some of the LotaSmoke veterans what they were looking to improve this year from last year. Zikimo Fields, runner-up overall in 2024 said, “Presentation. I need to get the presentation right.” My follow-up question to Zikimo was, “So how long did you work on that before this year’s competition?” His answer? “I didn’t.” That of course was the right answer because Whistle Britches, Captained by Zikomo took the award for Grand Champion highlighted by First Place in chicken AND brisket and #2 in pork. Congratulations Whistle Britches on another great finish!
There is so much more to highlight for the LotaSmoke that space limits my stories this week. In the next few issues I will dive deeper into the planning around the event and what Kyle and Craig learned from previous years to make 2025 such a great event. You may also get a sneak-preview of what’s in store for 2026. I will also share more from my interviews with various team members as well as my experience being selected as a judge for the competition. The Lake Lotawana Homes Tour will come back again in 2027. If you didn’t get a chance to attend this year, make plans for 2027!
One of the goals of both of these wonderful and iconic Lotawana events is to raise money for the community. Be it the Lotawana Community Club, Parks and Rec, or the Beautification (who sold great merch at BOTH events), these events serve the community. They are about community. Not only to raise money but to raise community, to get us all together to get to know each other, and to connect with others. In 2025 we don’t get a lot of opportunities to build community with others. Kyle said it best when I asked what was one measure of success for him for 2025 LotaSmoke? “On Friday night I was watching while about 20 kids were playing a pick-up game of football under the lights. It didn’t matter if they were private school, home schooled, public school, lake rats, part-timers, full-timers, younger older or whatever. They were all playing together and building community. That’s what this event is all about.” Otis Roper said said it best when he started Saturday’s concert, “We should all be grateful to be here today. Give thanks for that.” When we come together as a community, we are all stronger! Be it summer or fall, July or October, lake activities abound!
A special THANK YOU to everyone who volunteered to help with these events. Without your commitment and contributions of time and talent none of this would be possible. If you want to get involved in 2026 with any of the lake activities, I will be posting how you can connect and sign up to volunteer.
Stay tuned for more on the Homes Tour and LotaSmoke in the next edition of Patrolling the Pond. Until then, see you on the Pond!
P.S. Safer Seven is taking the week off this week celebrating a Chief’s Sunday Night Football win! Go Chiefs!