Blue Ridge Barbecue & Music Festival in Tryon named a North Carolina State Championship

From a press release:

Blue Ridge Barbecue & Music Festival in Tryon named a North Carolina State Championship

The Blue Ridge Barbecue & Music Festival will once again be the home of the State Championship. Governor Pat McCrory has formally decreed that the Blue Ridge Barbecue & Music Festival held annually in Tryon, North Carolina, “shall be known as a North Carolina State Championship,” and that June 13 & 14, 2014, “shall be ‘The Blue Ridge Barbecue Festival Days’ in North Carolina.” The proclamation urges all citizens to commend the observance.

The Festival is celebrating its 21st year and is expected to attract thousands of people to this small foothills town. Festival Chairman Mike Karaman invites everyone to come enjoy the delicious championship barbecue, fantastic live music on two stages both days, the best in regional arts and crafts, and exciting rides and games for kids of all ages. He also announced that the 4th Annual Classic Car Show will be held at the Festival on Saturday, and there will be grand finale fireworks Saturday night.

Other special attractions include a return visit by the “Great American BBQ Tour,” which travels all across the country to BBQ competitions and festivals providing entertaining and informative outdoor cooking and cooking product demonstrations.  And on Saturday at the Classic Car Show, which is sponsored by the Nationwide – Dusenbury Insurance Agency, guests will be able to see a real NASCAR stock car and take a turn around the track in the Nationwide racing simulator.

Also special, according to Karaman, is the fact that FREE on FRIDAY is returning. “This has been so well received, we’re doing it again,” he said. “Everybody gets in free on Friday from the time the gates open at 10am until 2pm, and they can stay as long as they wish.”

The Chairman went on to explain that at all other times admission will be $8 for adults, and kids 12 and under get in free with a paying adult. Active duty military men and women are always free with military ID. Admission includes parking, shuttle to the gate, and all concerts. He also mentioned that the Kid’s Ride Bracelets will be available again this year—that is, unlimited rides for just $15 in two sessions each day: from the time the gates open until 4pm and from 4pm until 10pm.

Gates open at 10am and close at 11 pm both days.

Entertainment Chairman Benton Wharton has announced a strong lineup of performers including Friday evening’s headliners Randall Bramblett Band, featuring Geoff Achison, and the AJ Ghent Band, and Saturday’s Lukas Nelson and P.O.T.R. along with The Honeycutters and the Shane Pruitt Band. The music cranks up on both stages in the early afternoon and also includes such notable bands as The Whiskey Gentry, the Danberrys, and many, many more.

Barbecue teams come from all over the country each year to compete for more than $21,000 in titles, trophies and prizes. Among the most coveted prizes, according to Karaman, is the Governor’s Trophy, the symbol of the North Carolina State Championship, which is awarded to the top finishing North Carolina team. There will be a special competitions this year as the Reser’s America’s Best Potato Salad Challenge and the BBQ Guru Challenge come to Tryon.     Festivalgoers are encouraged to wander around “Hog Heaven” and see the cook teams in action. They may even pick up a hint or two about the art of slow cooking. Then they can head to the main field to chow down on award-winning barbecue—as well as grilled corn-on-the-cob, fresh-squeezed lemonade and more. The lineup of food vendors includes something for everyone’s taste—including vegetarians.

On Saturday, look for the bikers to arrive from Greenville in the “Hawg Run to Fun” (motorcycle poker run). The run will originate at the Harley Davison store starting around 10am, and bikes will begin arriving at the Festival around noon.

In recent years, the Festival has made a concerted effort toward “Going Green” and reducing its environmental footprint. The efforts of faithful volunteers and much hard work have been rewarded with an annual average saving of 13,000 pounds of waste diverted from landfill to recycling. Guests are encouraged to participate by properly disposing of food and beverage items, a task in which they may be assisted by a faithful group of “green” volunteers.

The Blue Ridge Barbecue & Music Festival is produced by the Carolina Foothills Chamber of Commerce. Proceeds from the Festival help support Chamber operations and the Carolina Foothills Chamber Foundation which annually distributes grants to a variety of charitable and civic programs.

As always the Festival committee needs hundreds of volunteers (who work a four-hour shift and can get in FREE both days – not to mention free t-shirt, free bottle of water, and free BBQ Bucks). Recruiting is still under way. For more information on volunteering or any aspect of the Festival, visit www.BlueRidgeBBQFestival.com or call 828-859-RIBS.