Maggie Valley’s Festival Grounds will host the Fourth Annual Western North Carolina BBQ Festival this weekend for two days of music, dance, crafts, and all the succulent, sauce-dipped, slow-cooked barbecue you can handle.

The event is sanctioned by the Kansas City BBQ Society — the largest international organization of barbecue enthusiasts — which supervises judging contests throughout North America. At the Maggie Valley festival, cooks will be competing for several thousand dollars in cash prizes and trophies. The dozens of categories include the “Kids Q” competition for youth ages 6 to 15, amateur cooks, and professional chefs presenting chicken, pork, pork ribs, beef brisket, best sauce, “Anything Butt Dessert” and “Anything Butt Meat.” A “People’s Choice” award will also go to the best food as voted by festival-goers.

“We started the Tastin’ Tent last year because we kept hearing from so many people that they love to come to the barbecue cook-offs, but they never get a chance to taste any of the entries,” said Ashley Mullis, marketing and events manager for the Maggie Valley Chamber of Commerce. “So what we came up with is a new category called ‘Maggie’s Best.’ People can purchase a ticket to enter a blind tasting event. They then vote on their favorites, and the winning team goes home with the Peoples Choice award. We sold out of the tickets in about 30 minutes last year, so we are encouraging people to buy their ticket when they come in as only a limited number will be sold.”

From the “Wine & Swine” tastings of local restaurants to local rock and roll, Celtic and bluegrass bands to the exotic bellydancing of Waynesville-based Sidra, the festival has a full entertainment schedule. The festival kicks off at noon on Friday, Sept. 28, and runs until 10 p.m., then on Saturday, the festivities are from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Admission to the festival is $3. Children under the age of 12 are free. Wine and Swine tickets (Friday) are $10, and Tastin’ Tent tickets are $10 (Saturday).

For more information, contact Ashley Mullis at the Maggie Valley Chamber of Commerce at 1.800.624.4431 or 828.926.1686 or go to the Web site www.wncbbqfestival.org.

Schedule of Events

Friday, Sept. 28

• 12 p.m. — Festival opens with exhibits, tastings and arts & crafts booths

• 6 p.m. — “Wine & Swine” tasting and restaurant competition (Tastin’ Tent)

• 6:30 p.m. — Balsam Range performs

• 7 p.m. — Kids turn-in both meats

• 7:30 p.m. — belly dancing troupe Sidra

• 8 p.m. — “Wine & Swine” tent closes

• 8:15 p.m. — Kids BBQ Awards presentation

• 8:30 p.m. — Balsam Range performs.

“Wine & Swine” Restaurant Award presentation

• 10 p.m. — Festival closes

Saturday, Sept. 30

• 10 a.m. — Festival opens

• 12 p.m. — Blazin’ Bluegrass band

• 1:30 p.m. — Empty Slate band

• 2 p.m. — People’s Choice (Tastin’ Tent)

• 3 p.m. — Blazin’ Bluegrass band

• 4 p.m. — BBQ Awards Ceremony

• 5 p.m. — Rafe Hollister

• 8 p.m. — Festival closes

Smoky Mountain News 

week of 9/26/07