The Hays Recreation Commission has a day of fitness and fun planned Saturday with its third annual Backyard Barbecue cooking contest and a wellness fair.

Grills fire up for the contest at 8 a.m. at the Hays Recreation Center, 1105 Canterbury. Entry fee is $30, which allows entry into both divisions, and is due by Friday.

The open division includes the categories of chicken, pork and beef. The top winner in the division will receive a Treager Grill from Crawford Supply. Second prize is $250. Prizes will be awarded for the winner in each category.

The people's choice division winner will receive $100. Ribs will be provided by Smoky Hill Meat Processing.

See the HRC Web site, www.haysrec.org, for complete rules.

The hour-long wellness fair begins at 10 a.m. and includes body fat testing and weigh-ins. The first 30 participants will receive free Therabands. The fair will include demonstrations of exercises that can be done at home, a yoga session, and a question-and-answer session.

The evening will begin with a free barbecue dinner for the first 300 people at 5:30 p.m. Anthony and the Animals will perform. From 6 to 7 p.m. will be carnival games for the children, with prizes.

Taste testing for the open division will begin at 5 p.m., and the people's choice judging will be from 6 to 7 p.m.

Starting at 6:30 p.m., the HRC will hand out tickets for the late-night swim that will be from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Hays Aquatic Park, 400 Main. Admission without the ticket will be $2.