If you want to taste some of the best barbecue offered in the Southeast this weekend, you won’t have to go very far to do it.
The 13th edition of Roast-n-Boast, which begins at 4 p.m. Friday and continues Saturday at the Columbus Fairgrounds, isn’t exclusively for pork connoisseurs, however. It’s for anybody and everybody, event organizer Mike Law said.
“It’s become more of a family-oriented event, and that’s where our goal has been as a committee,” Law said. “We just want to get people out there.”
Musical entertainment Friday begins at 5 p.m. includes Charlie Burgin and the Southbound Train as well as Fayette, Alabama native Dexter Roberts, who finished seventh place in last season’s American Idol competition. Local duo Keith and Margie will follow Roberts.
On Saturday, Ian Faith will take the stage at 7 p.m., followed up by Mississippi band Trademark.
Other entertainment includes American Daredevil stunt team, pig races sponsored by Hambone Express and booths featuring arts and crafts from local artisans.
Law said 45 cooking teams from Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi have signed up to compete in several contests.
One of the contests will be decided based on the input of guests. Law said the People’s Choice tent will feature samples from Boston Butts cooked by all the competitors. Guests can try as many samples as they want by paying $3 for every five samples and then voting on their favorite. The team with the most votes wins the People’s Choice award.
Admission for one day is $10 and $15 for both days. Gates open at 4 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. Saturday.
This year’s installment marks the third straight year that the event has been sponsored by the Kansas City Barbeque Society, which has resulted in increased competition, Law said. Proceeds from the event go to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
“We get a great response on that,” Law said. “They’re a great organization and they work closely with us. We gave them a check last year for $5,000 based on last year’s contest. Hopefully we can give them more this year.”
Partnership with both KCBS and St. Jude has re-invigorated the event in recent years, Law said.
“The two biggest impacts on this event in the last 13 years has been switching to KCBS and choosing St. Jude as our charitable organization,” Law said. “We’ve gotten more community participation because of that. It’s just become a place where anybody can go and have a good time.”
Nathan Gregory covers city and county government for The Dispatch.
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