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Big BBQ Bash in historic downtown Maryville, June 23-24
MARYVILLE, TN — The 2017 Big BBQ Bash, a professional barbecue cook-off and a fundraiser for the Helen Ross McNabb Center, is set for June 23 and 24. The event will be held at Founder’s Square in historic downtown Maryville, located in the scenic foothills of the Smoky Mountains.
This year will be the 11th anniversary of the competition. It began as a legacy project created by the Leadership Blount Class of 2007. Since its inception, the Big BBQ Bash has raised more than $145,000. All proceeds from the Big BBQ Bash benefit mental health, addiction and social services provided by the Helen Ross McNabb Center for children, adults and families in our community.
More than 30 teams from across the country will compete in categories including pulled pork, ribs, brisket, chicken, dessert and a special Wampler’s Farm Sausage competition. Prize money totaling $10,000 will be awarded along with a trophy and, of course, bragging rights for the top three teams in each category. The team, Under the Radar, took home last year's grand prize.
Some teams choose to sell their award-winning barbecue, while other teams save it all for the competition. If teams choose to sell, barbecue will be available for purchase on Friday evening and midday Saturday.
This is the Big BBQ Bash’s fourth year as a Kansas City Barbecue Society (KCBS) sanctioned competition. KCBS sanctions barbecue and grilling competitions across the United States and promotes barbecue as America's cuisine. In addition, KCBS has an extensive Certified Barbecue Judging Program.
Governor Bill Haslam has proclaimed the Blount County Big BBQ Bash as a state championship, making the competition a qualifier for the American Royal Barbecue Cook-Off and Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational Barbecue.
To register a barbecue team or for sponsorship information, please visit the official event website, www.blountbbqbash.com. For more information, contact Amanda McPhetridge at (865) 329-9220 or at amanda.mcphetridge@mcnabb.org.
The Big BBQ Bash is a part of Summer on Broadway, a two-day festival featuring food and activities for the entire family. For more information about Summer on Broadway, visit www.summeronbroadway.net.
The Helen Ross McNabb Center is a premier not‐for‐profit provider of behavioral health services in East Tennessee. Since 1948, the Center has provided quality and compassionate care to children, adults and families experiencing mental illness, addiction and social challenges. As the Center celebrates nearly 70 years of providing services to communities in East Tennessee, its mission remains clear and simple; “Improving the lives of the people we serve.” For more information, visit www.mcnabbcenter.org. Published June 14, 2017 |
