The first Best in the West Rib Cook-Off at John Ascuaga's Nugget 20 years ago took some convincing.

The cookers didn't know what the Nugget was. Most of them had never heard of Sparks, Nev. Patrons needed an extra push in a world dominated by chili cook-offs.

"I was cold-calling these cookers, trying to get them to come," recalls Stephen Ascuaga, the hotel-casino's chief operating officer. "I couldn't get most of them to call me back. These were the days before the Internet, and there was no Web site to help convince them we were a legitimate operation. They could only call our 800 number, and that didn't do much good."

A few were persuaded, however. The street in front of the Nugget was closed off. A little free entertainment was provided, and a few thousand people attended. They had fun. The ribs were good. The cookers were happy with the cash prizes. The first John Ascuaga's Nugget Best in the West Rib Cook-Off was a qualified success. It was decided to try it again the next year.

Fast-forward to the present, now there's a waiting list for competitors and 24 are admitted, all vying for cash and bragging rights. The cook-off is considered the premiere event on the circuit. The two-day event has been expanded to six; 500,000 people are expected to attend this year, and around 100 tons of ribs will be served.

"We don't allow the competitors to cook directly for the judges, either," says Ascuaga. "On Saturday we send runners to pick up ribs that have been prepared for customers. Those are taken to the judges, where a very complicated procedure, full of checks and double-checks, takes place."

Last year's winner was Famous Dave's of Plymouth, Minn. Its chef, Mike Bower, will be back this year, facing off against former champions from Mount Laurel, N.J.'s Butch's Smack Your Lips BBQ; Martinsville, Va.'s Checkered Pig BQ; and three-time champion Elizabethtown, Ky.'s Texas Outlaw BBQ. The winner gets $14,500 and, more importantly, the title of Best in the West.

Returning this year at 6 p.m. Wednesday are the World Rib Eating Championships, operated by the governing body of stomach-centric sports, the International Federation of Competitive Eating. Even more interesting, the returning champion here is Joey Chestnut, whose victory on July 4 in Nathan's Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest at Coney Island, N.Y., was his second win in a row. Chestnut has in the past put away 8.4 pounds of pork rib meat in 12 minutes.

New this year is a Running of the Pigs, "the biggest road spectacle this side of Pamplona," according to Ascuaga, his tongue firmly in his cheek. Twenty pigs will run down Victorian Avenue in a charity race at 11 a.m. Friday.

"The public will not be allowed, however, to run with the pigs. We have made sure these are cute little piggies, not big, ugly ones," he said.

Bands will perform on three stages and at Victorian Avenue's Cantina Los Tres Hombres throughout the event, and each evening at 7 p.m., and at 3 p.m. Monday, a headlining act takes the main stage. At 7 p.m. Wednesday, it's the Radiators, the New Orleans band performing its "fish-head music," a variety of swamp rock. Thursday, it's the Blasters, performing what they call the songs of "the working man's curse and rock 'n' roll romance," a mix of early rock with rock-abilly and blues.

On Friday, Bucky Covington has his area debut; the eighth-place finalist of "American Idol: Season 5," recently released his self-titled album to positive reviews.

Mumbo Gumbo is Saturday's big draw, the ubiquitous genre-mixers are a Nugget favorite. Sunday, Night Ranger takes over with its twin-lead guitarists and its blend of metal and pop, often called "melodic metal." And Monday afternoon, playing to returning Burning Man attendees in search of food, water and showers, guitarist Joe Bonamassa.

Also on hand is the "Southern Living" BBQ on Tour 40-foot trailer with chef Troy Black giving demonstrations on the hour during peak event times. The Travel Channel will be on hand to film a special called "Rib Paradise."

IF YOU GO

HOURS: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday-next Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 1.

COST: Admission is free.

PARKING: It can be a problem, so two shuttle services have been set up, operating 5 to 10:30 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. No shuttle service on Monday. Shuttles operate from Reed High School (take Interstate 80 east to East McCarran, turn north to Baring Boulevard, then east to the high school) and Wooster High School (take Interstate 80 east to 395 south to the Plumb Lane exit; the school is on the right).

FOOD: If you don't like ribs but do want to eat, downtown Sparks has limited restaurants. But there is Cantina Los Tres Hombres, the Great Basin Brewing Company – very popular for lunch – and the restaurants inside the Nugget: John's Oyster Bar, the Noodle Hut, the Steakhouse, Trader Dick's (Polynesian and Asian specialties), Rosie's Café, Rotisserie Buffet and Café Orozko (specializing in Basque cuisine).

INFORMATION: www.janugget.com or (800) 648-1177