Welcome to the Smokin' in the Pines BBQ Festival!
Contact Us At 850-584-5366
About the Event
Taylor County, Florida is home to one of the largest and most popular BBQ Festivals in the state and southeastern United States!
This event gives out over $15,000 in cash prizes for the following BBQ Events:
- OPEN BBQ Competition ($10,000 in cash & prizes)
- Sauces of Honor Competition sponsored by National BBQ News ($1,000 in cash & prizes)
- People's Choice ($500 for 1st Place - No Entry Fee)
- KIDZ-QUE Competition (Ages 6-13)
Thousands of dollars in cash prizes are awarded during the weekend to those in all the competitions. Visitors can sample BBQ at the many sampling stations or they can be a judge in the People's Choice portion of the event where they can try over 35 different kinds of pulled pork.
A mixture of southern rock and country music plays throughout the entire weekend featuring some of the most renowned blues artists. For those who want to attend this event, there is no fee to enter, however, if you want to sample BBQ and enter the People's Choice, there is a small fee for those portions of the event. In addition to BBQ, this event features arts & crafts, antique car show, kids play area, activities and great entertainment.
Bring the family!
Entry Forms and Judge Application
JUDGE >> Click here for more information about becoming a Master Judge.
Get Involved
Open BBQ Competition: This part of the competition is open to any and all BBQ enthusiasts from the backyard grill master to professional cook-teams. Teams travel from all over to compete for over $10,000 in cash and prizes as well as bragging rights.
People's Choice: For the attendees, this portion of the event is amongst one of the favorites. This is where you can be the judge. Try over 35 different pulled pork recipes! For the competitor, we encourage any team to sign up to compete in the People's Choice Competition. It is a lot of fun as well as a great way to showcase your cooking skills to the public. Initially, People's Choice is voted on in an anonymous setting, however, during the awards ceremony, spectators can find out who their favorites were! There is no cost to competitors to enter and we will supply the meat to your team, call you have to do it cook it!
Sauces of Honors Sauce Contest: Another favorite event among the visiting competitors is the Sauces of Honor Competition, sponsored by National BBQ News. This event enables competitors to enter an unlimited amount of different sauces with the chance to win CASH prizes. Categories include: Best Original BBQ Sauce, Hot Stuff BBQ Sauce and Mustard-Based BBQ Sauce, Chicken, Beef, Pork. Rules are on the application and you can enter as many times as you like for only $20 per entry.
Sauces of Honor Sauce Contest Rules & Prize Awards
- Each contestant is allowed to enter as many times as they like, however they must pay an additional $25 per sauce that they enter.
- Entries that are HOT, must be marked HOT, or they will be disqualified.
- Sauce must be brought to the prep area no later than 6:30 pm for judging at the cook shed located next to the main stage at Forest Capital State Park on Friday.
- Entry forms must be turned in 5 days BEFORE the event so that we will know how many judges are needed.
- Sauce must be original, no pre-packaged sauces qualify.
- All contestants will be assigned a number upon entry.
- Questions should be addressed to the Smokin' in the Pines BBQ Festival staff at (850) 584-5366.
- Must be present to WIN!!
- Winners will be announced at the awards ceremony Saturday night.
PRIZES
Best Overall Sauce
Signed Guitar, $200 Cash, Trophy & Bragging Rights!
Original BBQ Sauce, Mustard Based Sauce & HOT Sauce ... Chicken, Beef, Pork
1st Place in Each Category: $100 Cash, Trophy & Bragging Rights!
2nd Place in Each Category: $50 Cash, Ribbon & Bragging Rights!
3rd Place in Each Category: Ribbon & Bragging Rights!