If you’re looking for something to do on this beautiful upcoming fall weekend, may I suggest a short road trip — nay, a pilgrimage — to Lynchburg for the 34th Annual Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational Barbecue, also known as The Jack, on Saturday, Oct. 14. It promises to be a crisp autumn day for the assembled masses as they watch a large panel of judges taste their (our) way through seven categories presented by 81 barbecue teams representing 14 countries to compete for the title of Grand Champion.
Hopefully most of those judges won’t make the same mistake I made as a rookie judge more than a decade ago. After taking the requisite single-bite sample of the first chicken thigh presented to my judging table, I thought “Damn! This is the BEST chicken thigh I’ve ever tasted!” and proceeded to eat the whole thing. Then I tried the second offering. “No, THIS is the best chicken thigh I’ve ever tasted!” Three miserable hours later, I turned in my final judging sheet and headed home an utterly defeated man.
I’ve learned a lot since then. If you take a single 1-ounce bite of every entry presented, you’ll consume two pounds of barbecue. That fact — combined with the fact that my doctor follows me on Twitter — has considerably moderated my judging technique. And I’ve been known to slip a rib or two to the crowds gathered outside the judging pavilion between rounds, so look for me!
There’s a lot more than just watching other people eat to keep spectators busy during the day. In addition to plenty of great food and drink available for purchase, representatives of outdoor cooking gear suppliers will be showing off their wares to help you up your home barbecue game. The Jack is an invitational competition, meaning all entrants must have already won a major championship, but all of them probably started in their own backyards, so it could be you next year!
Event activities will also include games such as the Country Dog Contest and Bung and Bag Toss competitions beginning at 11 a.m. and continuing throughout the day. Tours of the Jack Daniel Distillery from the visitor center will also be available, and the awards presentation will take place at 5 p.m.
Admission to the 34th Annual Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational Barbecue is a voluntary donation to the Moore County school system, and lord knows that rural school systems could use your support right about now!
