POWNAL — The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry’s Bureau of Parks and Lands is holding its first ever Cast Iron Cook-off at Bradbury Mountain State Park on Saturday, Sept. 13. The family-friendly event will showcase the tradition of using cast iron to cook over a campfire.

Maine’s fall camping and cast iron cooking over an open fire are being joined to provide entertainment for Bradbury Mountain State Park guests. Participants will be able to showcase their cooking skills and win prizes.

Visitors and campers are invited to watch the cooking and participate in a day of events. The Girl Scouts will also be cooking to earn merit badges.

Those registered to camp on Sept. 13 will be allowed to compete in the cook-off. Participants are encouraged, but not required, to camp both Friday and Saturday night to allow enough time to set up and cook, and to fully enjoy the camaraderie of the event.

The competition will be limited by the number of campsites available for overnight camping. To register and reserve a spot to participate, call Bradbury Mountain State Park at 207-688-4712 by 5 p.m. on Sept. 10. Registrations after that will be allocated on a “first come, first served” basis subject to campsite availability. There is no scheduled rain date.

Park visitors and participants will be able to learn about cast iron cooking, cooking setups and methods. Local cast iron cooking expert, Louisa Picard, will be on hand to give a demonstration on how to cook with cast iron. Park Manager Fritz Appleby will provide information on the history of cast iron cookware, as well as its proper care and cleaning.

Prizes will be awarded to the top three winners as judged in each of the three categories of cooking: entree, bread and dessert. There will also be a cast iron skillet toss, with prizes awarded for the furthest toss in each age category.

For more information, visit www.maine.gov/bradburymountain, www.parksandlands.com or www.maine.gov/dacf.