The sultans of swine, the kings of 'cue, the czars of char will
gather today at Tom Lee Park on the riverfront for Memphis in May's
World
Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest. Hundreds of competition
barbecue teams will compete for cash, prizes and glory at this
fantastic festival lasting from Thursday until Saturday evening
(free admission between 11 am-1 pm Thu-Fri and $9 otherwise) If
you've never been, it comes highly recommended. Cheekily themed
competition booths, grown men in porcine costumes, live music,
beer, barbecue and all the pork puns you can stomach are among the
highlights. Just a sample of some of this year's best (and
simultaneously worst) team names: The Bastey Boys, Crispy Critters,
Reservoir Hogs, Serial Grillers, Slab Techs, Chauvinist Pig, and so
on, and so forth. Technically, you're not allowed to sample the
competition 'cue from these teams (unless you know someone or can
schmooze your way in), but you can purchase barbecue from a number
of great vendors. Make a point not to miss the Miss Piggy Idol
Contest, a costumed singing competition between the
teams.
For the best food festivals and shindigs in the country, visit
our food events
homepage. And if the BBQ festival leaves you craving more
barbecue - this will happen - take a gander at our list of the best barbecue
restaurants in Memphis.
How many slabs of dry-rubbed ribs can we fit on there?
One of many punnily named teams: The People's Republic of
Swina