Memphis in May BBQ contest: 9 things you shouldn't miss (Sauce Wrestling! Ms. Piggy Idol!)
The "Battle of the Big Hogs" is back on the river.
The Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest returns to Tom Lee Park in Downtown Memphis May 17-20.
150 teams will travel from across the U.S. and around the world to compete for the title of World Champion. What sets this cooking contest apart is that in addition to being the most prestigious barbecue contest in the world, it’s also the most fun. For four days, contestants not only cook, but they also throw a party like no other.
While festival attendees may not be able to taste the barbecue made by the contestants, there are plenty of activities to enjoy. Here are nine things you won't want to miss at this year's barbecue contest.
Sauce Wrestling
Yes, you read that correctly. The WCBCC hosts a barbecue sauce wrestling event.
At 6 p.m. May 17, this unique competition kicks off the festivities. Participants hop into the ring, don their goggles (a required piece of equipment for this affair) and wrestle in a pool of Cattlemen's barbecue sauce. It is guaranteed to be one of the grossest things you have ever witnessed. Admission is free to this one-of-a-kind wrestling event. And if you think you want to jump in the ring, you have to be a member of a barbecue team.
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BBQ Alley
BBQ Alley presented by Big Green Egg is the place for festival attendees to experience what everyone comes to WCBCC to experience: top-notch barbecue. This special area features four well-known barbecue restaurants plus Big Green Egg, serving up a variety of barbecue including pork ribs, pulled pork, beef and poultry. In addition, small sides like baked beans and mac and cheese will be offered. BBQ Alley is a ticketed event and only open during specified times on May 18, 19 and 20. The schedule is available at memphisinmay.org. Limited quantities of $25 tickets are on sold online and at the festival. If tickets sell out online, you'll still have the opportunity to buy them the day of the event. BBQ Alley is an add-on, and a general admission ticket must still be purchased to gain access into the park.
Kingsford Tour of Champions
Want to taste and judge barbecue from the teams competing? Purchase a ticket for the Kingsford Tour of Champions. This unique barbecue experience gives the general public the chance to judge and sample barbecue as well as listen to teams explain their craft. Each tour will last approximately 90 minutes and includes visits to three different barbecue teams. Tours are only available the afternoons of May 18 and 19. Tickets are $30 each. Advance online purchase is recommended as these tours tend to sell out. The tours are an add-on, and a general admission ticket must still be purchased to gain access into the park.
Cooker Caravan
Want to learn to grill like a pitmaster? Sign up for the Cooker Caravan. This is a guided tour of some of the best competition teams. The tour will include cooking information, a chance to see a variety of specialty grills and smokers, and tips on how to improve your own backyard barbecue style. Tours leave every 30 minutes during schedule tour times. This is a free tour and tickets are not required, but space is limited and you'll need to sign up at the Cooker Caravan table, located in the middle of the park near the judges' tent.
Ms. Piggy Idol
If you are in the WCBCC park on May 18, be sure to head over to the Main Stage at 6 p.m. for the Ms. Piggy Idol contest. This is a contest that shouldn't missed. Where else in the world will you find grown men parading around in tutus and snouts? Competing teams ham it up to win this coveted title by writing and performing original lyrics and choreography that somehow also incorporate Memphis in May's honored country. This year's honored country is Malaysia. The awards ceremony for the Ms. Piggy Idol, Best T-Shirt and Best Booth contests is at 7 p.m.
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Judging day
If you're into the competition side of the cooking contest, go on the morning of May 20. The teams are all business that morning as blind judging and then on-site judging takes place. It’s fun to get a glimpse into the passion these pitmasters have for their craft.
Live music at the barbecue contest
The party at WBCC continues when the sun goes down. Each night there is a concert on the main stage. The lineup this year is Al Kapone and The Sugarhill Gang on May 18, Cracker on May 19 and Nolan Taylor and Dale Watson close out the contest on May 20.
The competition for Best Booth
One of the best parts of the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest is strolling along the Mississippi River and checking out the teams' elaborate booths and displays. It’s a fun way to take in all the sights of the festival, plus get your steps in after indulging in barbecue all weekend. Each year, it seems that the booths get more over the top as many compete for the title of Best Booth. Considering the teams only have a few days to build their booths from the ground up, the themes are pretty impressive, just like the multistory creations precariously made from scaffolding that house each team's booth.
Sunset on the Mississippi River
There is nothing more Memphis than sitting on the banks of the mighty Mississippi, watching the sun go down while the smell of barbecue wafts through the air. Follow the cue of the teams — whom you’ll find sitting in lawn chairs at this time of day with a beer in hand — and find a grassy spot to watch the view. It may just be the favorite part of my day at the WCBCC.
Jennifer Chandler is the Food & Dining reporter at The Commercial Appeal. She can be reached at jennifer.chandler@commercialappeal.com and you can follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @cookwjennifer.
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Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest
When: May 17-20
Hours: 5-10 p.m. May 17, 11 a.m.-midnight May 18-19, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. May 20
Where: Tom Lee Park
Online: memphisinmay.org
Tickets: Single-day general admission tickets are $15 and four-day passes are $54. Tickets can be purchased in advance at memphisinmay.org.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis in May barbecue contest: BBQ, Sauce Wrestling, Ms. Piggy Idol
