The short answer: pick one to three categories, give every ribber a number or short code, choose one voting method, and post the same instructions at every booth. Set a clear closing time, then announce the winner from the stage.
Running a wine festival, beer fest, chili cook-off or food truck rally instead? Everything here applies: swap "ribber" for winery, brewery or vendor.
Most of the work is deciding the rules early and making the signs impossible to miss.
1. Decide what people are voting on
Keep it small. One People's Choice: Best Ribs award is enough for most events. If you want more, add one or two that are easy to judge by eating, such as Best Sauce or Best Side.
Every extra category makes the signs busier and the awards longer. If you also have a judged competition, keep it clearly separate so nobody confuses the judges' prize with the crowd's.
2. Choose a voting method
There are five common ways to run a people's choice vote. Each one works; they differ in how much staff time they need and how fast you get a result.
| Method | What's good | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Paper ballots | Familiar, no technology, works anywhere | Printing, ballot boxes, volunteers to count, slow results, easy to stuff unless you hand out one per person |
| Tokens or tickets in jars | Fun and visible, and it can raise money if you sell the tokens | Jars show who's winning, which sways voters; tokens need counting; vendors must guard a jar |
| QR code to a web form | Cheap to set up, results are counted for you | Needs mobile data and a working camera; forms are slow in a queue; harder to limit repeat votes |
| Event app | Can hold the map, schedule and voting together | Most people won't download an app for one afternoon |
| Text to vote | Works on any phone with no app or Wi-Fi, takes seconds, counts itself, one vote per phone number, results can go on a big screen | Needs cell signal on the grounds, and a provider to set it up |
For a small community event with plenty of volunteers, paper or tokens are fine. Once you expect a large crowd, or want a live leaderboard and an instant result, text voting saves the most effort. That's what we build, so we're biased, but the trade-offs above are the real ones.
3. Write the rules down
Decide these before you print anything, and post them where voters can see them:
- Who can vote: usually any attendee.
- How many votes: one per person per category is the simplest and fairest.
- When voting opens and closes: give exact times.
- How a tie is broken: for example, the judges' score decides.
- Vendors and staff: say whether they can vote. Most events let them, once.
4. Give every ribber a code
Voters shouldn't have to spell a team name. Give each vendor a number or a short code, in booth order if you can, and use it everywhere: the booth sign, the map and the stage screen.
Send vendors their code a week ahead so they can tell their own fans.
5. Make the signs impossible to miss
Most people decide to vote while they're standing at a booth with food in one hand. Put the instructions right there.
- At every booth: the vendor's name, their code, and how to vote, in large type.
- At the entrance and the bar: a sign explaining the award and the closing time.
- On the stage screen: the instructions between acts, and the leaderboard if you're showing one.
6. Remind people out loud
Ask your MC to mention voting at least once an hour and to give a last call about 30 minutes before it closes. Vendors will do the rest; they want the trophy.
Decide early whether to show live standings. A visible leaderboard adds excitement and drives more votes, but some organizers hide it for the final hour to keep the result a surprise.
7. Close voting and announce the winner
Close voting 30 to 60 minutes before the awards. Use that time to confirm the count and check for a tie. Announce third, second and first from the stage, and have the trophy and a photographer ready.
Afterwards, send each vendor their own result. They'll share it, which is free publicity for next year.
8. Use what you learned
Keep the totals. They tell you how many people took part, which vendors drew the crowds, and when the grounds were busiest. If voters opted in to hear from you, you also have a list to tell about next year's dates and ticket sales. Only message people who agreed to it.
A simple timeline
- Four weeks before: choose categories, rules and voting method. Book a provider if you're using text voting or an app.
- Two weeks before: assign vendor codes and order the signs.
- One week before: send vendors their codes. Test the voting from a few different phones on the actual grounds.
- Event day: signs up before gates open, MC reminders hourly, last call, close, confirm, announce.
- The week after: share results with vendors and thank the voters.
Common mistakes
- Too many categories.
- Signs only at the entrance and not at the booths.
- No stated closing time, so people try to vote during the awards.
- Not testing phone signal at the site beforehand.
- No tie-break rule.
Questions organizers ask
Do attendees need an app or Wi-Fi to vote by text?
No. Text voting uses ordinary text messages, so any mobile phone works with no download. It does need cell signal, so check coverage on your grounds before the event.
How do you stop people voting more than once?
Decide the rule first, usually one vote per person per category. With paper, hand out one ballot at the gate. With text voting, the system counts one vote per phone number.
How many categories should a rib fest have?
One to three. A single People's Choice award is the simplest. Add Best Sauce or Best Side only if you have time on stage to announce them.
When should voting close?
Close voting 30 to 60 minutes before the awards so you have time to confirm the result. Announce a last call from the stage before it closes.
Can we use voting to raise money?
Yes, with tokens or tickets: attendees buy them and drop them in a jar at their favourite booth. A text message can't take a payment, so paid votes need tokens or an online donation page.
Want text voting at your rib fest?
BamText sets up your number, vendor codes and live leaderboard. Tell us your date and expected crowd and we'll send a quote.