2nd Annual BBQ and Bluegrass Jam, Asheville, NC March 30-31, 2007

Brian Roberts, organizer of this event, shares that the three main goals of this annual event are to promote the WNC Farmers Market (where it is held), bluegrass and barbecue. The festival began last year with 11 cookers and 8,000 people in attendance. This year there were 15 cookers and an estimated 11-12,000 people in attendance. Strong showing for a newly minted non sanctioned event. Brian advises that some people involved in this event prefer it not being sanctioned, at least for the time being. Next year’s event is scheduled for March 28th and 29th.

The grand champion was Butts and Breast (Shawn Creef) from South Carolina also winning #1 in the anything other than pork category. My Old Friends (Richard Whiteside) of North Carolina took second place in the anything other than pork category and Okie Dokie (Steve Dunning) of North Carolina took third. Mean Genes Grilling Team (Gene Klimstra) of North Carolina placed first in the pork category, second was Ruby’s #2 (Roy St. Vincent) of North Carolina and Okie Dokie (Steve Dunning) of North Carolina placed third. In the ribs category Carolina Custom Cookers (Wendell Kurtz) of North Carolina placed first, Heavenly Hog (Dickie Owenby) of North Carolina came in second and Smokin Studs (Bryan Snavely) of Tennessee placed third.