Barbecue, more return to Morse

by Nathan Arneal
Published 4/30/25

Morse Bluff’s Barbecue to the Max will be held for the fifth straight year on June 14. It has grown from a simple barbecue contest to take on the role of the village’s annual town celebration.

Event organizer and Morse Bluff native Mike Borer has seen the day grow over the past five years to include a car show, cornhole tournament and beer garden. He said he enjoys bringing a day of fun to his hometown.

“It does means a lot to me,” Borer said. “I like to bring people into Morse Bluff and show them our nice community, and I think the community of Morse Bluff has been real positive and helpful with the event.”

A portion of the proceeds go to benefit the Nebraska-Maine wrestling exchange program, which sends a group of high school wrestlers from one state to visit the other and wrestle a series of duals. The program dates back to the mid-’80s when Borer himself participated.

Last year, a girls team was added to the exchange program, meaning a Nebraska team will be traveling to Maine every year.

Borer had the idea of organizing a barbecue contest as a fund raiser in 2021. A few months prior he heard the news that a college teammate of his, John Hughes, lost his son in a car crash. Max Hughes was three-time wrestling state champion at Syracuse High School and died at the age of 21.

Borer decided to name his contest “Barbecue to the Max” in Hughes’ honor and donate a portion of the proceeds to a scholarship fund John Hughes started in his son’s name. Last year Hughes awarded four $1,000 scholarships to Nebraska students that will go on to wrestle in college.

John Hughes has also taken over The Max Car Show that runs in conjunction with the barbecue contest.

Last year Barbecue to the Max drew 13 competitors. Borer has enough meat donated by Wholestone Foods to support 20 smokers and has a goal of getting that many entires this year. Registration is due by May 31 and may be done by e-mailing BBQtotheMax@gmail.com.

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