Have you ever seen 150’ high dunes? How about apple orchards and asparagus fields covering the countryside? And that’s just getting to Silver Lake, MI for the Apple BBQ Festival. The perfect weather accompanied a Classic Car/OVR and Dune Buggy Show, craft artists, live music, and everything/anything apple! A 5K Apple-a-Day race along with an Apple Pie contest brought additional weekend competitions for this event situated on Silver Lake, MI next to the Big Lake!
So, while the granddaddy BBQ event, The American Royal, was happening in Kansas City, this event showed that the Midwest folks know how to ‘Que too with Bad Habit BBQ earning the prized 180 on Pork Ribs! 48 teams vied for Grand Champion honors with the top points going to Big “E” BBQ with a 694.3 score and Reserve Grand Champion awarded to Big BrothersBBQ coming in at 689.7.
In the Shade Tree Competition, Up In Smoke BBQ won the Chicken category and Rub A Dub Grub won Pork Ribs during the Friday event.
Silver Lake is always one of our favorite’s venues even though it’s on the tail end of the Summer Season. There are plenty of craft beer breweries, hiking, incredible dunes (take a ride with Mac Dunes Buggy Rides to get a real feel of how vast the sand dunes are), and one of the largest freshwater lakes in the world, Lake Michigan.Silver Lake State Park is a short walking distance to the festival as well as several cabins. We bet that if you came to the area, it would be on your list of annual places to visit for many years to come!
Mike and Marcia
Silver Lake Sand Dunes
Silver Lake Sand Dunes
Friday Night pot luck with BBQ Teams and Judges
Judges Oath
Friday Night fun
Fresh Apples
Yum! Apple Pie
Custom Dune Buggy
Vintage Car Show
Vintage Car Show
Vintage Car Show
Up in Smoke BBQ
Kevlar BBQ
Smokin Good Time BBQ
Two Crackers Q-ing BBQ
Smoke Till Yer Broke BBQ
Smoke Till Yer Broke BBQ
Brew ‘N’ Que
Firing up the smoker
Victory Smoker – custom made
Smokin’ Bros BBQ
Smoke rising early on competition day
The Meat Rubbers BBQ
Preparing the Chicken Box
Big “E” BBQ & Big Brothers BBQ – Grand Champion & Reserve Champion Champion
PigMania Lebanon was the fourth & final event in the PigMania Master Series BBQ Competitions & Festivals. PigMania Events take place in Hilliard, Shelby, Lima, and Lebanon, Ohio. Organizers Dan & Ann Hurst are two of the most gracious hosts we’ve come across. Miami Valley Gaming opened its doors for this KCBS State Championship. Of the 46 Professional Competition BBQ teams that competed, three of them are among the top KCBS teams in the country.
This event is unique in that all 46 cook teams along with the vendors were set up on the harness track. Next to the harness track in a grassy area was a terrific bandstand with tables for spectators to sit and listen to music while enjoying their food and beverages. And what could be better than eating BBQ, enjoying live music, drinking local beers, and then when the competition is over, going into the casino to try your luck on a few slot machines?
Among the teams that competed was Smokin Triggers, led by famed pitmaster Johnny Trigg. PigMania honored Johnny with the Lifetime Achievement Awardfor his outstanding contribution to competition BBQ. As always Johnny was cordial andmade himself available to cook teams and fans alike!
It’s rare for a team to earn a perfect score of 180 in a category, but believe it, or not two perfect scores of 180 occurred at PigMania! Bo B Q BBQ took First Place in Pork Ribs with a 180, and Extra Mile BBQ maxed out in Pork category. Congrats to both teams!
Bo B Q BBQ with their First Place trophy in Pork Ribs with a 180 score!Extra Mile BBQ, perfect score of 180 in Pork!
PigMania’s Persistent PitMaster Award announced at PigMania Lebanon went to Grey Street BBQ. The team received the soon-to-be famed PigMania Championship Belt by generating the most points during all four PigMania competitions!Well Done!
Grey Street BBQ earned PigMania’s 2018 Persistent PitMaster Award.
Hats off to Slippery Pete’s BBQ for claiming Grand Champion with an astounding 704.6 score followed by Smoke Me Silly as the Reserve Grand Champion with a 697.7. Good job racking up those points!
Grand Champion Slippery Petes BBQ and Reserve Grand Champion Smoke Me Silly.
A highlight of PigMania at least from the judges’ point of view was the Dessert competition. Just take a look at a few of the entries below! First Place went to Continental Barbeque Co., followed by Bo B Q BBQ and Historic BBQ. We’re not sure which entries below earned the top awards, but we wouldn’t turn any of them down, just saying!
Despite the torrential downpour that began shortly after the last turn-in, PigMania Lebanon was a huge success. Coordinators Dan and Ann Hurst know how to organize an excellent competition. Host Miami Valley Gaming and Racing offered a first-class venue for a BBQ competition with spectacular entertainment, thank you for having us! PigMania was a fun event for all.
Mike and Marcia
Smoke Me Silly
Top rate entertainment
Johnny Trigg
Turn-in
Operation BBQ Relief
You know all the adults feel like this on the inside too!
The Ribberfest BBQ & Blues, which takes place in Madison, IN on the banks of the Ohio River, has it all! We arrived Thursday for the BBQ Sunset Cruise on the Ohio River with cook teams, organizers, and judges for a light Dinner, beverages, and live music. Friday through Sunday the Queen City Clipper, out of Cincinnati, is available for the general public to enjoy a cruise.
Queen City Riverboat, Clipper
The BBQ teams set up along the Ohio River for a never dull view of life on the river. The teams are very welcoming to anyone walking the venue to take in the ambiance of a bbq competition. Friday evening several cook teams took part in a “pitch in” dinner, complete with all the fixings.
Saturday 54 teams vied for top honors. Grand Champion went to The American Dream BBQ Team from Oklahoma with a 701.7 score and 1st place in pork. Reserve Grand Champion went to Grey Street BBQ with a 699.4. Smoke Freaks BBQ took first place in pork ribs and was the third overall team.
Ribberfest Grand Champion The American Dream BBQ Team
In addition to the regular categories in the BBQ competition, Ribberfest includes Anything Butt and Dessert categories. Butts-n-Racks BBQ took 1st in Anything Butt with a 180 score. The Dessert category had a 5-way tie with Red Hot Butcher Shop, Charcoal & More, Squealers Award Winning Barbeque, Meat Misters, and WEQ4U all scoring 180! The Gattopuin, an award for the team that exhibits the best hospitality, friendliness, humor, and love of BBQ is voted on by an unknown panel of judges. This year’s honoree was Smoke Freaks for the second year in a row!
But wait there’s more! In addition to the Shade Tree BBQ Competition (backyard/amateur), there are lots of other things to see and do; a 5K Ribberrun & Bike Ride, KidsQue, Pigmania (concrete pig painting contest),
Pigmania
Piglet Pen (inflatables and games for the kids), and Pig Toss (Cornhole Tournament). This event also hosts one of the top Blue Festivals in the region. We enjoyed two days of fantastic blues with some of the top names in the business. This year’s headliners were Walter Trout and Ronnie Baker Brooks. Previous year headliners have been Los Lobos, The Taj Mahal Trio, Keb’ Mo’ and Buddy Guy.
Madison, IN, is named a Stellar Community Designee and includes one of the largest Historic Landmark Districts in the US. Stellar communities actively work on community and economic projects and events to improve the quality of life in their city. The organizers of Ribberfest indeed demonstrated their love of Madison the way they went out of their way to engage local volunteers and support both cook teams and judges alike.
Always fun to be had at the competitionsWhoo-hoo, get me to the turn-in station on time!Madison volunteers shuttle teams to the turn-in station with golf carts!
Thank you, Madison, for another fun and successful competition. We also want to thank the Smoke Freaks for inducting RVBBQTrail into the Lucky Lighter League; we’re true believers!
Madison volunteers shuttle teams to the turn-in station with golf carts!
Whoo-hoo, get me to the turn-in station on time!
Yes, another category entry heading to the judges!
Ribberfest volunteers
Jim Beam BBQ Team sampling their bourbon collection.
Smoke Freaks cook set-up
Ribberfest Awardsl
This awesome trophy went to The American Dream BBQ for Grand Champion
Ribberfest 2018 Grand Champion The American Dream BBQ
Ribberfest 2018Grand Champion The American Dream BBQ Team
Reserve Grand Champion 2018 went to Grey Street BBQ
2018 Reserve Grand Champion Grey Street BBQ
Blue Chip BBQ, 1st place chicken
The American Dream BBQ, 1st place pork
Smoke Freaks BBQ, 1st place pork ribs
Smokin’ Hookers BAR-B-Q, 1st place brisket
The last name of this husband and wife team is Hooker!
Butts-N-Racks, 1st in Anything Butt
Local Madison, IN, bbq team Butts-N-Racks, 1st place Anything Butt
Anything Butt went to Butts-N-Racks BBQ
Red Hog Butcher Shop BBQ Team, 1st place in the Dessert category
Smoke Freaks BBQ and friends accepting The Gattopuin Award for the team that exhibits friendliness, support of other teams, and fun of the BBQ Community.
Kid’s Q winner
Kid’s Q winner
Brisket ready to slice
Teams wrap their ribs in aluminum foil
Lots of foil used in the competition @reynoldskitchens
Teams taste their ribs to choose the best rack slice for the judges
The 2018 Heritage Days BBQ Showdown 2-day competition brought out the best in professional BBQ! On Day 1 fifty-one Competition BBQ Teams convened upon the Boone County Fairgrounds in Belvidere, Il, a superb venue for a BBQ comp! At least six of those teams are the top professional teams in the US, vying for KCBS Team of the Year. To keep up with KCBS Team of the Year standings click here.
A Scottish Heavy Olympics Tournament participant.
Event organizers Danny & Chris along with their team held a terrific event that was welcoming and supportive of the needs of professional BBQ’rs and judges alike! And where else can one go to a BBQ competition and witness authentic Celtic games with The Scottish Heavy Olympics Tournament?! It was complete with kilts, sheaf tossing (using a pitchfork!), caber toss (log flipping), hammer throw and more. You can learn more about the sport in this article. For us regular folks who are not into heavy duty weight training, there was a Bags Tournament.
Day 1
After the threat of rain subsided on Saturday, the stars came out, that’s BBQ stars, with Shake ‘N Bake taking Grand Champion scoring 693.1, followed by Rod Gray’s Pellet Envy for Reserve Champion with a 692.0.Dirt Road was third overall for the second week in a row!
Pellet Envy Reserve Champion, Day 1.Shake N’ Bake, Grand Champion Heritage Days BBQ Showdown Day 1.
Day 2
Hats off to the forty-four BBQ teams competing on Sunday, Day 2. As a pro BBQ cook I’ve never done a double competition, nor have I as a judge. As a judge it was challenging so I can only imagine what it was like for the cook teams! That said experienced pros know how to compete as evidenced by Gettin’ Basted taking home the Grand Champion award with a 691.9 score followed by Reserve Champion ONE2BBQ with a 688.5.Midnight Burn, all the way from North Carolina, was third overall.
Gettin’ Basted, Grand Champion, Heritage Days BBQ Showdown Day 2.One2BBQ, Reserve Champion Heritage Days BBQ Showdown Day 2.
Often times teams set up next to each other, it’s more fun that way! Smoke Freaks and Stress Relief BBQ teams.
The close bond that Competition BBQ teams share was evident at this event. Even though teams are there to compete, they are very supportive of one another. Friday night’s mood was fun and lively with teams greeting each other, enjoying libations and music together. During Saturday’s competition, it was all business as they cooked, but words of ‘good luck’ to each other and pats on the back were everywhere. The Awards Presentations was upbeat with big rounds of applause, hoots, and hollers for each team that got a call (placed in the top ten of each category). Saturday night it was time to relax and share a meal with each other, with teams contributing to the potluck table. Now that’s what makes bbq competition fun!
Friday night preparations
A quiet Friday evening before tomorrow’s competition begins.
These cookers, along with their pitmaster, put out some of the best-smoked meat you can
eat.
Shake N’ Bake preparing their chicken, this entry took fourth place.
Let’s get these boxed up!
Deuces Willd BBQ choosing the chicken pieces that will go into their entry box.
Ribs ready to box for turn-in, Hot Ash BBQ.
Light it up!
Midnight Burn, third place Heritage Days BBQ Showdown Day 2.
Smoke Freaks, first place chicken, Heritage Days BBQ Showdown Day 2.
Dirt Road BBQ, third place Overall at Heritage Days BBQ Showdown Day 1.
Fergolicious BBQ, third place Brisket, Heritage Days BBQ Showdown Day 2.
One2bbq, Reserve Champion, Heritage Days BBQ Showdown Day 2.
JH Old School BBQ Team, third place Pork Ribs, Heritage Days BBQ Showdown Day 1.
Boone County Fire Department
Chocolate City BBQ is happy to have this competition box complete and headed for the judges.
SmokinGhost BBQ. It’s always a relief to turn in a competition box.
The Scottish Heavy Olympics Tournament Sheaf Toss.
The Scottish Heavy Olympics Tournament Hammer Throw.
Bag Toss Competition
Larry of Burnin’ Benjamins BBQ Team.
Pellet Envy Competition BBQ Team, Reserve Champion at Heritage Days BBQ Showdown Day 1.
Lots of nice cookers at professional bbq competitions.
Heading East from Rocky Mountain National Park en route to Holdrege, NE one notices the change in terrain from mountains, to rolling hills, then to the lush green farmland of Nebraska. This town with a population of 5,500 folks hosted the Central Plains Ribfest in conjunction with Swedish Days which brought competitors from six states.
Local High School Student rides his Unicycle in the Centra Plains Ribfest parade.
A busy weekend with a Steak Association Cookoff (SCA) steak cook-off, a parade, classic car show, People’s Choice BBQ contest, and a sauce competition. Holdrege is small town America with a big heart and why we love traveling for BBQ competitions.
Parade in Holdrege, NE before the Central Plains Ribfest.
Smokin K – NE took home Grand Champion honors with a 695.4 score and Butcher BBQ earning the Reserve Grand Champion with a 694.8.Dirt Road BBQ was third overall. Both Butcher BBQ and Dirt Road BBQ are in the top ten ranking for KCBS Team of the Year! The Holdrege Chamber of Commerce did a terrific job hosting the Ribfest. We enjoyed meeting the cooks, judges, and folks on the street, they were all so welcoming!
Big Butts Need Rubbin’, Too Competition BBQ Team
When Pigs Die Competition BBQ Team
Los Nerds BBQ, Parker, CO.
Rocket Boys Pyro Competition BBE Team, Broomfield, CO.
NoCoQ Competition BBQ Team
Parade in Holdrege, NE before the Central Plains Ribfest.
Local High School Student rides his Unicycle in the Central Plains Ribfest parade.
Parade in Holdrege, NE.
Every detail is checked before turning in the box.
Hog Hammer BBQ Competition BBQ Team
Bracken Racks Competition BBQ Team
Central Plains Ribfest Car Show
Motorcycles were part of the Car Show at the 2018 Central Plains Ribfest.
Vintage cars lined both sides of several downtown streets in Holdrege, NW.
Rowdy Rott BBQ Competition BBQ Team.
Yoder Smoker, very popular among BBQ Competition Teams.
Teams decorate their cook space with all kinds of trophies, statues & signs.
BBQ rigs aren’t just for cooking, teams decorate them to show their unique style.
Turn in time.
Six turn in boxes full of delicious bbq ready to go to a judges table.
Horse Town USA! Being from KY, you’d think I’ve seen all things equine, but not even close! Upon entering Norco, one might notice the lack of sidewalks, that’s because bridle paths run both sides of the road. Hitching posts are located around town for folks to tie up their horses. Yes, people ride horses from home to town! There are western-themed restaurants, saloons, stores for all equine needs, western wear shops and antique and vintage shops in Norco. We had dinner at the Saddle-Sore Saloon, a honkytonk from way back! Most Norco businesses support equine activities.
The BBQ competition took place at the George Ingalls Equine Center, a world-class facility with the roof covered arenas to house the whole bbq affair. The event included 57 pro cook teams, 12 backyard teams, Kids-Que, food vendors, and a stage.
The Norco BBQ Competition is all under roof in the arena at George Ingalls Equestrian Event Center, Norco, CA.
Grand Champion – Toot & Stinky’s Cali-Q
Toot & Stinky’s Cali-Q took home Grand Champion honors with a 702.3 score. For those who don’t know, a score above 700 is noteworthy! The Reserve Champion was Bar-B-Q-2Go.
If you are a horse lover, then Norco, CA is for you!
Reserve Champion – Bar-B-Q’s-2Go
Lady of Q – 1st in Brisket
Meat Candy Q – 6th Overall, 3rd in Brisket
It’s all smiles when you turn in a box of BBQ for the judges.
Fo Sizzle Competition BBQ Team
Papa La Rue’s cooker, trailer and truck.
Saucing ribs for the competition box.
Preparing Pulled Pork
Trimming chicken thighs.
Wrong Side of the Mississippi – Backyard Team: 4th Overall, 4th in Ribs, 5th in Chicken
The Best Dam BBQ Challenge is pure Americana, and one dam good BBQ event! Sorry for the pun but couldn’t resist! Located at the city center with live music, great food, and classic cars… over 200! This is a family-friendly event with lots of activities for the kids, great food, and live music.
Squat & Gobble BBQ took home Grand Champion honors with Pappy Q as the Reserve. The Rotary Club is the sponsor of Best Dam BBQ Challenge with proceeds going to their charitable non-profit events.
Boulder City is an oasis in the desert with restaurants and shops in a small town setting. The folks of Boulder City are welcoming and this is definitely a dog-friendly town. Suggest you might want to take a short drive to Boulder City during your next Vegas engagement for a relaxing afternoon!
…finally getting caught up with a reliable Wi-Fi source
Sixty-two pro BBQ teams competed for over $20,000 in prize money at the Whistle Stop & Rocket City BBQ competition in Huntsville, AL. Smoke Me Silly took Grand Champion with a 703.9 score! 64 teams competed for the Backyard or amateur championship. Huntsville area museums received all proceeds from the BBQ event.
One thing became abundantly clear to me regarding this train-themed BBQ event; the folks of Alabama know how to throw a party and do a tailgate! Friday evening was a big party, but when the music stopped, things got real for championship BBQ.
Lobster Boil at the BBQ Comp!
Live entertainment
U.S. Army MWR
BOOB-B-Q BBQ Team
Box preparation
Presentation to judges
Brisket Judging Plate
Judges are serious about their role in a BBQ Competition
The Pickin’ n’ Pullin’ BBQ Competition occurs in Lanexa, VA, 45 minutes East of Richmond, at Rockahock Campground RV Resort. This RV Resort is a terrific venue for teams and judges. The Rockahock folks were very accommodating, including the use of campsites for teams, indoor event hall for judges and their covered amphitheater for musical entertainment and award presentations. Over 48 pro teams and 54 backyard amateur teams competed. Some of the top teams including Tuffy Stone’s Cool Smoke BBQ* (Three-time Jack winner) and Old Virginia Smoke (World Food Championship winner) competed.
The charity supported by this event is Proclaiming Grace Outreach, a non-profit organization whose mission is to help those in need in the New Kent and James City County area. Proclaiming Grace offers help through a food pantry, thrift shop, small home repairs and scholarships to New Kent students. Click here to learn more.
The organizers from Rockahock Campground were terrific! We would like to thank all the KCBS representatives for being so welcoming to RVBBQTrail and for them allowing us to photograph the judging process. Thanks also go to the BBQ teams who enthusiastically greeted us, posed for pictures and offered their BBQ wisdom in the interviews. Unfortunately, we had technical issues and did not capture the audio with the teams and the organizer. This is just one of the road bumps we’ve encountered in our startup year so please forgive us.
Pickin’ n Pullin’ BBQ Competition is a can’t miss event for next year and a great way to start the BBQ competition season!
*Tuffy’s new book, Cool Smoke, was just released. To learn more about Tuffy and his book click here.
Wrapping the ribs
Sometime Ribs, 2nd Place Ribs, Backyard
2018 Rockahock Campground Pickin’ N Pullin’ Awards
Tuffy Stone & Mike
Brisket turn-in box
Judges ‘plate’
People’s Choice, 2nd Place
Teams anxiously awaiting awards anoucements
John Busch , KCBS Representative, Maryland
Notorious P.I.G. BBQ Team, Backyard Reserve Grand Champion
This is where professional BBQ all comes together! I love the smell of BBQ smoke in the morning! Each team is required to turn in four of the qualifying meats; Poultry, Pork Ribs, Pork Shoulder or Butt, and Brisket. Chicken turn-in typically starts at 12 noon followed by 30-minute increments for the other meats. The cook teams easily spend more than $1,000 just to compete. Yes, there is prize money, typically ranging from $7k – $25k, however, no one is in it for the money… Just getting a call, or better yet, being Grand Champion is rewarding enough!
KCBS is a non-profit organization as are each of the sanctioned BBQ competitions. Most KCBS events are raising money for charitable causes and all workers, including judges, are volunteers. Many are sanctioned State Championships with the winner eligible to compete in the Jack Daniels World Championship Invitational.
Location plays an important reason as to why we love KCBS BBQ events. Most are in small out-of-the-way towns that you normally would not have a reason to visit. We leave enamored with the town, community, and rich history each has to offer… and can’t wait to return next year! Many have a Blues, Brews, & BBQ type theme – which just happen to be the three necessities of life!
PigMania Lebanon was the fourth & final event in the PigMania Master Series BBQ Competitions & Festivals. PigMania Events take place in Hilliard, Shelby, Lima, and Lebanon, Ohio. Organizers
46 cook teams along with the vendors were set up on the harness track. Next to the harness track in a grassy area was a terrific bandstand with tables for spectators to sit and listen to music while enjoying their food and beverages. 
