Your quest to find the best barbecue in the Midwest will not include a trip to Washington Island this year.

Following the recent passing of Death's Door BBQ organizer Richard Jepsen, his family, Kansas City Barbecue Society members, and the event's committee announced on Wednesday that the 12th edition of the contest would be canceled for 2024. Jepsen nurtured the contest from humbled beginnings to make Death's Door BBQ Contest one of the premier barbecue showcases in the Midwest and the entire country. Pitmaster Timothy Schopp has helped organize other regional contests and says Jepsen's love for Washington Island and the community's connection with the contest were unrivaled.

Schopp is uncertain about the contest's future, saying they are still mourning Jepsen's death. Acknowledging the hard work of organizing these events, Schopp hopes it will return and be renamed in Jepsen's honor. The Death's Door BBQ Contest raised thousands of dollars annually for local causes.