Cashiers Burger Week

Written By: Ann Novitske, Whiteside Brewing Company | Issue: April 2024

The Cashiers community is serving up a carnivore’s delight this month with the second annual Cashiers Burger Week.

The idea for this week stemmed from Justin Smith, the general manager at Whiteside Brewing and he recruited Thomas Taulbee and me to help bring it to fruition. The idea was to create a fun, community event that gave locals the opportunity to check out restaurants they may not have been to before or hadn’t been to in a while.

It was also intended to be a way to help boost business for local restaurants, intentionally set during the “shoulder season” time when business is a bit slower.

That goal was surely accomplished last year!

The buzz around town leading up and during burger week was amazing. Conversations could be overheard of different strategies, questions of which burger had been tried yet, and which is going to be the next.

How does Cashiers Burger Week work? Each participating restaurant will create a unique burger to highlight during the week. Burger Tasters will pick up a Burger Week Passport at the Cashiers Area Chamber of Commerce, present their passport when they order a burger and the participating restaurant will stamp the passport.

Participants must receive stamps from three different restaurants to be eligible to cast a vote for Favorite Burger and Most Creative and to be entered to win prizes from local sponsors and participating restaurants.

If five stamps or more are collected, that qualifies for two opportunity drawings for prizes. Winners will be announced at the Cashiers Burger Week Wrap up Party to be held at Slopeside Tavern in Sapphire on May 14 starting at 5:00 P.M. The Wrap Up Party will include live music and lots of fun celebrating the winners.

Last year’s winners for Favorite Burger were First Place, Native Prime Provisions; Second Place, Hidden Valley Tavern; Third Place, a tie between Slopeside Tavern and Happ’s Place Barn & Grill. The winners of Most Creative Burger were First Place, a tie between Slopeside Tavern and Whiteside Brewing; Second Place, The Ugly Dog-Cashiers; and Third Place, Native Prime Provisions.

Can’t wait to see what creative juices flow this year and who will be the 2024 Winners!

Passports will be available for pick up only at the Cashiers Area Chamber, located at 202 US-64, starting mid-April. Passports are free but required to participate. For your vote to count, you must return your passport to the Cashiers Area Chamber.

Check out the website cashiersburgerweek.com for a list of participating restaurants and sponsors. You can follow Cashiers Burger Week on Social Media for updates as well.

Start your diets now so you’re ready for 2024 Cashiers Burger Week!