Mike Parker: BBQ Festival on the Neuse: More than pulled pork and good times
This year marks the 45th anniversary of the start of the whole hog cook-off, which has become the largest single event in Kinston and Lenoir County each year. BBQ Fest brings tens of thousands of visitors to this area for food, fun, and music. Those who plan this event include a healthy dose of activities for children, as well.
Sir Walter Raleigh was first exposed to barbecue in the late 16th century when he sent men to the coast of present-day North Carolina, according to Charlotte Mecklenburg Library. John White sketched Croatan Indians broiling fish over a flame using a “barbacoa” method for smoking their meats.
Whole hog barbecues have been referenced as far back at the 1700s. Eastern BBQ uses the whole hog and features a vinegar-based sauce. This type of sauce was developed in the 1800s.
Last year, Kinston entered the Guinness Book of World Records for selling the most pulled pork sandwiches in an 8-hour period: 4,775 sandwiches.
Each year, roughly 100 cook teams enter this whole hog competition. Judges at the BBQ Fest on the Neuse assess whole-hog entries based on appearance, tenderness, and taste. Following North Carolina Pork Council standards, they evaluate the meat – which can be chopped, shredded, or sliced—for proper texture (not mushy or dry), flavor, and the inclusion of cracklings. The judging takes place before the sauce is mixed into the final product.
The festival is billed as the “World’s Largest Whole Hog Cookoff.” The festival featured more than 150 vendors, live music, a car show, and, of course, on-site pork barbecue. Admission is free, and the event occurs rain or shine. No pets are allowed, and outside alcohol is prohibited. BBQ Fest offers a “Beer/Wine/Spirits Garden.”
For our local residents, the BBQ Fest means more than bragging rights. The economic impact of the two-day event is staggering. The BBQ Fest on the Neuse has an economic impact of $13 million on our city and county.
This festival is only one of several events that contribute to the local coffers. Other events that have a significant impact are: Lenoir County Agricultural Fair – $7.3 million; the two-day ENC RENN Faire – $5.2 million; and Off-Road & Overlanding – $71,500. A conservative estimate of the total economic impact from these events is $25,571,500.00. That figure represents a significant boost to our local economy, from hotels and restaurants to small businesses throughout the area.
BBQ Fest will take place this weekend, Friday and Saturday, May 1-2. The festivities begin with a carnival from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Thursday, April 30.
At 4:45 p.m. on Friday, May 1, shuttles will begin transporting festival-goers from Historic Grainger Stadium on 400 E. Grainger Avenue to the festival. From 5 p.m. until 10 p.m., vendors will open for business, the carnival will still be going on at Pearson Park, the Classic Car Show will allow you to travel back in time, and the Kids’ Fest and Flimsy the Clown’s Fun Zone will be operating.
At 5:30 p.m., the Opening Ceremony G.I. Joe’s/Salte! will take place on the Herritage Street Stage, followed by the official welcome and the announcement of Cook Teams and their sponsors.
The concert part of the evening will begin at 7 p.m. when country recording artist Jay Tyndall takes the Herritage Street Stage. At 8:30 p.m., Nashville recording artist Dylan Schneider will perform.
The festival closes at 10 p.m. on Friday, but the shuttle service will continue to run until 10:30 p.m. from the BBQ Fest to Grainger Stadium.
The activities planned for Saturday are too numerous to list in this short space. If you want more information, visit kinstonbbq.com for a complete listing.
If you want to get a feel for just how massive this festival is, come down to the Herritage Street area on Friday night from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., or on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Mike Parker is a columnist for the Neuse News. You can reach him at mparker16@gmail.com.
