The 2022 Plant City Pig Jam State of Florida BBQ Championships presented by Citizens Bank & Trust has over 50 competition barbecue teams coming to Plant City from more than a dozen different states to compete in the Kansas City Barbeque Society-sanctioned competition on Friday and Saturday, November 18 and 19 at the Randy L. Larson Softball Four-Plex, located at 1500 S. Park Rd. in Plant City. This fun-filled, family-friendly event is free to attend, and parking is only $10.
On Friday night, the event area is open to the public from 5-10 p.m. There will be live music and plenty of ice-cold drinks at the Pepin Sports Bar to enjoy. The mechanical bull-riding contest will be held at the Patterson Companies’ main stage at 8 p.m. Families are encouraged to come out and grab dinner cooked by some of the best and most awarded barbecue teams in the country. In the past, menu items have included BBQ macaroni and cheese, ribs, brisket, BBQ chicken, and even BBQ-filled egg rolls.
On Saturday, the event area is open to the public from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. with two stages of live entertainment. There will be live bands as well as community groups performing throughout the day. The Citizens Bank & Trust Piglet Play Area features bounce houses, rock-climbing walls, face painting, games and entertainment for kids of all ages at no charge to guests.
Teams will be busy cooking up their BBQ entries for the competition on Saturday, so be sure to stick around for the awards ceremony at 5 p.m. to see who the ‘Grill Masters’ are this year. Over $18,300 in prizes will be awarded.
Many volunteers are still needed to help make this community event possible. Volunteering is a great way to get a behind-the-scenes peak at this two-day BBQ festival; stations include the beer tents, merchandise tents, and kids’ area. To sign up to volunteer, please visit www.plantcitypigjam.com.
All proceeds from the Plant City Pig Jam benefit the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce. The organization serves both the Plant City business community and residents — it’s good food for a good cause.
