Thursday, August 27, 2009
Barbecue It's Pigskin Time in Tennessee!
Posted by Chris Chamberlain on Thu, Aug 27, 2009 at 10:57 AM
No, not that kind of pigskin, Vol fans. You'll have to wait another week to see if the Kiffin Cuzins can erase the bad memories of Full Philmer's fall from grace last year. We're talking bbq pigskin. (again)
This weekend is the inaugural Music City BBQ Festival. Located in Riverfront Park, the festival runs from 5:00pm - 11:00pm on Friday, August 28th and 11:00am - 11:00pm on Saturday, August 29th. Single day tickets are available online for $10 or 15 clams gets you in for both days of smoke, pork, music, fun and games.
Friday night will be the time to walk amongst the teams and watch them prepare to put the hickory to their entries for Saturday's Kansas City BBQ Society sanctioned chicken, pork, ribs and brisket competitions as well as the Memphis BBQ Network whole hog, ribs and shoulder judging. Apparently in the world of contest bbqing, this sort of dual sanctioning is rare. $16,000 in prize money is at stake, so you know the competitive juices will be flowing. It's also the last chance for the teams to compete for a spot at the 21st Annual Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue in Lynchburg in October.
For the amateur smokers, there will also be backyard bbq divisions being contested on Friday night for poultry, beef, ribs, seafood and dessert. Insider knowledge recommends spending a little time meeting the teams with punny names like "Gettin' Piggy With IT," "Sweet Swine O'Mine" and "The Ash Holes" while they're working and having fun for your best shot at getting a little sample of their wares the next day after judging. Or if you want to buy your access, there are also tickets available for the "Smokin' Hot" tent, an all inclusive area that will be located by the music stage offering all the BBQ & beverages you want. These tickets are $50 for one day and $85 for both days.
The event benefits the Monroe Carell Jr. Childrens Hospital at Vanderbilt and Shriners Hospitals for Children, so you know it's for a good cause. The weather forecast looks like...well, it looks like late August in Nashville. Bring an umbrella just in case. If nothing else, you can use it to trap some of that smoky goodness.
Comments (7)
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Ok, other than the fact that I just bought the greatest BBQ/literary reference t-shirt known to man (http://s3.amazonaws.com/wootsaleimages/Some_BBQ2mcDetail.png) and am dying to wear it to a food event....is there really a reason to pay $10 to watch people BBQ things that you're not going to get to try for the most part?
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That shirt is great! I may have to borrow it when I go see Charlotte's Web at the Childrens' Theatre.
Your 10 bucks buys you a chance to mix and mingle with the competitive smokers who are generally a pretty entertaining lot, buy beer and walk along the scenic Cumberland, listen to some good local bands playing at inappropriate outdoor volume and support two excellent charities.
If you're nice, you might even get some free samples from the teams, especially the backyard bbq categories.
Pretend it's like the last few years of Dancing in the District with extra smoke.
This shirt is funny as hell, where, by the way, you'll be going for wearing it. Still, funny.
Oh the tshirt is the least of the reasons I'll be going to hell....
Good point, there is entertainment other than the BBQ'ing, which while entertaining is kind of cruel to watch when you don't get to eat any of it! And it's definitely for a good cause. I think I'll stop by on Saturday and check it out - and wear my tshirt :)
Took a brief tour after the Patron's party last night and the Backyard teams already had their smoke on...if nothing else, it's guaranteed to be a showcase of some of Nashville's most colorful 'cue-ers. They were already having a large time at 8pm! More than 70 teams--should be fun to watch and learn.
So, you don't get to even buy any barbecue at this thing? I would pay $10 and then pay again to eat, but the thought of being around 70 teams of barbecuers and not being able to eat any of it sounds like hell to me. I want to go, but man, I'd want to eat!
Having visited tonight, there's plenty of bbq to buy, but it's from vendors who have been health inspected. And not the usual state fair/Centennial Park crafts fair vendors. The competitive teams cook all night for the judges and then feed what's left to their friends and maybe a few passers-by.
It's worth the trip to talk with them and see their unbelievable cooking/party rigs. Look for pictures to be posted early next week when I recover from the three lbs. of pork in my gullet.
