If you've never been to one, BBQ competitions are a blast. Well, maybe I should say, they're a blast if that's your kind of thing. If you enjoy being outside with music, friends, beer, checking out peoples rigs and pits, and the smell of delicious food ... then you'd have a great time at a BBQ comp. If you enjoy winter sports and cave diving ... maybe BBQ comps aren't your thing ...
The catch, however, is that not all comps are the same. Most will have live music, contests, vendors with free samples, and some even have a variation of the "fans favorite". Fans favorite is what it sounds like, it's what the fans pick as their favorite. You, as a fan, can register with the event people and become a fan judge. You go around to the teams that participate and sample and grade. Some events have gone away from this, because the health departments claim people participating in a cooking championship may or may not know how to cook, and they don't want them to serve the fans raw food. Other comps may only have the comp itself, and nothing more.
The catch, however, is that not all comps are the same. Most will have live music, contests, vendors with free samples, and some even have a variation of the "fans favorite". Fans favorite is what it sounds like, it's what the fans pick as their favorite. You, as a fan, can register with the event people and become a fan judge. You go around to the teams that participate and sample and grade. Some events have gone away from this, because the health departments claim people participating in a cooking championship may or may not know how to cook, and they don't want them to serve the fans raw food. Other comps may only have the comp itself, and nothing more.
I've taken the time to go through and make a list of the areas BBQ Comps this year ... mostly, so I can see which I can attend, but also so you can as well if you'd like to.
Here's a list of BBQ competitions in South Carolina, Georgia, and North Carolina.
Here's a list of BBQ competitions in South Carolina, Georgia, and North Carolina.
March
22-23 – Hub City Hog Fest – Spartanburg, SC
29-30 – Horsin & Hoggin BBQ Cookoff – Aiken, SC
April
5-6 – Pickens Pig Pickin’ – Easley, SC
Big Brothers & Big Sisters BBQ Festival –
Florence, SC
Smoking on the River - Summerville, GA
Smoking on the River - Summerville, GA
Grande Creek Pig Jam – Swainsboro, GA
Newport 35th Annual Pig Cookin’
Contest – Newport, NC
12-13 – Smokin Pork N Butts – Jackson, GA
19-20 – Hejaz Shriners Cook-off – Mauldin, SC
Come See Me BBQ Cook Off – Rock Hill, SC
The South Carolina – Georgia Border Cook-off –
Hardeeville, SC
Pork in the Park - Newberry, SC (The one I'll be helping)
Pork in the Park - Newberry, SC (The one I'll be helping)
Cornelia Apple Blossom BBQ Festival – Cornelia,
GA
17th Annual Firehouse BBQ Cookoff –
Kings Mountain, NC
26-27 – Project Host Annual BBQ Cook-off – Greenville, SC
Old Friends Barbeque Cookoff – Bamber, SC
Char-Broil Pig Bowl – Columbus, GA
BBQ Capital Cookoff – Lexington, NC
May
3-4 – Hog on the Hill – Chester, SC
Picking and Pigging in the Park - Irmo, SC
Picking and Pigging in the Park - Irmo, SC
10-11 – Boss Hog Cook-Off – Waynesboro, GA
Smoke on the Lake – Acworth, GA
Jiggy With The Piggy BBQ Challenge – Kannapolis,
NC
7th Annual Hogfest in Historic
Edenton – Edenton, NC
11 – Beer Bourbon & BBQ Festival – Charlotte, NC
17-18 Pig in the Park – Williamston, SC
Hawgin’ on Lanier – Gainesville, GA
NCBS PIEDMONT BBQ BOOT CAMP & JUDGES SCHOOL –
Clemmons, NC
June
7-8 – High on the Hog – Beaufort, SC
6-7-8-9 – 9th Annual Texas Pete Ribfest –
Winston-Salem, NC
14-15 – Hog Jam – Blairsville, GA
Blue Ridge BBQ & Music Festival – Tryon, NC
(BBQ Pitmasters Season 5 filming)
July
6 – The 48th Annual Roasting of the Pig – Beech Mountain,
NC
12-13 – The SC Peach Festival – Gaffney, SC
The Pig N Swig – Newnan, GA
Carolina Mountain Ribfest – Fletcher, NC
13 – SCBA JUDGING SEMINAR – Columbia, SC
19-20 - NCBS MOUNTAIN BBQ BOOT CAMP & JUDGES SCHOOL –
Sugar Mountain, NC
August
2-3 Beer Bourbon & BBQ Festival – Cary, NC
9-10 Mountain High BBQ and Music Festival – Franklin, NC
16-17 – Classic City BBQ Festival – Athens, GA
23-24 – Sooie Relief Benefit Fest - Greer, SC
Pigs & Peaches BBQ Festival – Kennesaw, GA
Pigs & Peaches BBQ Festival – Kennesaw, GA
September
19-20 Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues & BBQ Rally –
Salisbury, NC
20 – Smoke on the Water – Columbia, SC
October
11-12 Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down – Rocky Mount, NC
18-19 – Swine and Dandy Charity Cook-Off – Duluth, GA
Time Warner Cable BBQ & Blues – Charlotte,
NC
10th Annual Vander Pig Cook-Off –
Fayetteville, NC
24 – 84th Annual Mallard Creek BBQ – Charlotte,
NC
26 – 30th Annual Lexington Barbecue Festival –
Lexington, NC
November
1-2 – Big Pig Jig – Vienna, GA
Pig on the Ridge – Ridgeway, SC
2 – Hog Happenin’ – Shelby, NC
15-16 – St. Nicholas Winterfest “Best Q in Conway” – Conway,
SC
The National BBQ Cup – Cumming, GA
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