Pig Jam promises good food, family fun

Bring your appetite to the ninth annual Plant City Pig Jam.

Some of the finest cooks in the Southeast and beyond will fire up their grills to compete for more than $16,000 in prizes – and bragging rights. Best of all, samples will be sold of some of the finest barbecue ribs, pork, chicken and brisket.

There's more than barbecue at the 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. festival at the Randy L. Larson Softball Four-Plex, 1500 S. Park Road, near Plant City Stadium. There will also be snow-cones, lemonade, beer and other snacks and refreshments available for sale.

Kids will be entertained in the children's play area where there will be a rock climbing wall, moon walk and other activities. And, live telecasts of all football rivalries will be broadcast in the beer tent. Ace Jackson and the Jump Kings Band will perform live music in the afternoon.

Of course, barbecue is the main event. About 70 barbecue teams in divisions that include professional, amateur and children will compete at the Pig Jam, which is sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbeque Society.

There will be plenty of opportunities to ask cooks about their pits, the wood they use, how they prepare their meat, and the cooking temperatures they prefer. Guests can also check out some of the barbecue-related items that will be for sale such as rubs and sauces, books and videos, pins and paraphernalia relating to individual teams.

The event also includes a drawing for a Big Green Egg grill package and a YETI cooler donated by The Hay Exchange. Tickets for the drawing are $10 each and may be purchased at the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce, 106 N. Evers St. All proceeds benefit the Chamber Foundation's Scholarship Fund.

The Pig Jam originated when Plant City residents Mark Poppell and Fred Williams competed at one of the largest barbecue competitions in the country, the Big Pig Jig in Vienna, Ga. They returned to Plant City with a vision for a local barbecue festival, and the chamber of commerce threw in its support.

There is no admission charge to Pig Jam; parking is $5 per vehicle.

For information, contact the chamber at (813) 754-3707, or go to www.plantcity.org.