The Memphis in May International Festival is a month-long event held annually in Memphis, Tennessee. The festival’s main events include the Beale Street Music Festival, the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, the Great American River Run, and the Sunset Symphony. The festival attracts visitors from around the world to celebrate Memphis culture and heritage through food, music, and more.
When is the Memphis in May BBQ Festival Held?
The Memphis in May International Festival is held every year throughout the month of May. The festival’s signature event, the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, takes place in Tom Lee Park along the Mississippi River and is held over 3 days during the second week of May.
In 2023, the date for the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest is May 17th to May 20th. This event sees over 250 teams compete to make the best barbecue in categories like ribs, pork shoulder, and beef brisket. The barbecue teams start setting up their equipment and prep their meats a few days before the actual competition begins.
Where is the Memphis in May BBQ Contest Located?
The World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest is held at Tom Lee Park in downtown Memphis, Tennessee. Tom Lee Park runs along the Mississippi River and provides sweeping views of the Memphis skyline.
The park is located at 1 Auction Ave, Memphis, TN 38103. It sits adjacent to the historic Beale Street entertainment district. The park offers 30 acres of space to accommodate the many barbecue teams, live music stages, and thousands of visitors during the event.
Directions to Tom Lee Park
Here are some directions to get to Tom Lee Park for the Memphis in May BBQ Contest:
- From I-40, take exit 1C toward Downtown/Beale Street onto Riverside Dr
- Turn left onto Georgia Ave
- Slight right onto Auction Ave
- Auction Ave becomes Island Dr and leads directly into Tom Lee Park
There is some street parking around the park but filling up fast during the event. Paid parking lots and garages are available within a short walk of the park.
Park Layout for the BBQ Contest
The barbecue teams are set up on the south end of Tom Lee Park closest to the river. This areas transforms into a tent city, with each team getting a 20′ x 20′ space to setup their cooker, prep tables, tents, and decorations.
The rest of the park hosts the judging tent, live music stages, eating areas, cooking demonstrations, and merchant booths. There is a central walkway through the length of the park to easily access all the various attractions.
History of the Memphis BBQ Contest
The World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest has been held at Tom Lee Park for over 4 decades as part of the broader Memphis in May International Festival.
The first barbecue contest was held in 1978 with only 26 teams participating. It has exploded in popularity over the years and now attracts over 250 teams from around the world.
The contest was sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue Society in 1982. This affiliation helped grow the contest and provided structured judging procedures and cash prizes for winners.
In 2022, the contest celebrated its 45th anniversary with its biggest turnout yet. Over 255 teams competed for over $145,000 in prize money and the title of World Champion.
Significance of BBQ in Memphis
Memphis has long been recognized as one of the top barbecue destinations in the US. The city has a deep tradition of slow-smoked pork ribs and pulled pork shoulders.
Many famous Memphis barbecue joints have origins dating back to the early 1900s, including Rendezvous, Payne’s, Cozy Corner, and Germantown Commissary. Their styles have come to define Memphis-style barbecue.
The Memphis in May BBQ Contest allows this culinary tradition to continue and pushes competitive barbecue teams to develop the best possible versions of classic Memphis barbecue dishes.
What Happens at the Memphis BBQ Contest?
The World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest centers around teams competing to cook the best barbecue in a variety of categories over 3 days.
Here are the key activities and events that occur:
- Teams setup: Teams arrive up to a week in advance to setup their cooking equipment and tents in Tom Lee Park. The setup period has a festive, communal atmosphere.
- Meat inspections: All meats must be inspected before cooking to ensure quality standards. Teams have to cook at least 6 pork shoulders, 6 racks of ribs, and 4 briskets.
- Cooking: Cooking takes place overnight since teams have to turn in their entries by set times each day. The smells of smoke and sizzling meat fill the park.
- Judging: Expert judges score the entries based on appearance, tenderness, taste, and aroma. Only samples with an ID number are judged to prevent bias.
- Live music: Local Memphis musicians perform throughout the event, including blues, rock, R&B, and more.
- BBQ eating: While not an official contest category, teams often make extra food to give out samples and feed the crowds.
- Awards: Cash prizes and trophies are awarded in each category. The Grand Champion wins a large trophy, prize money, and bragging rights.
Barbecue Competition Categories
Teams compete in the following competitive categories at the Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest:
- Pork Ribs: Includes baby back ribs or spare ribs with bone in.
- Pork: Pulled pork shoulder or Boston butt.
- Beef Brisket: Full packer brisket sliced, chopped, or pulled.
- Chicken: Full chicken or separate pieces.
- Exotic/Other Meat: Anything other than pork, beef, or chicken. Think bison, duck, etc.
Within each category, scores are given for presentation, tenderness, taste, and aroma. The team with the highest total score wins that category.
Memphis in May BBQ Contest Traditions
While the barbecue competition drives this event, the festival has developed many fun traditions over its 40+ year history:
- Teams create elaborate booths and decorations around their cooking setups. Christmas lights, inflatables, fireplaces,couches, and more get incorporated.
- The event coincides with the Peabody Hotel’s famous “March of the Peabody Ducks” where the resident ducks are marched to the hotel fountain daily.
- Goofy contests like “Miss Piggy Idol” and the “Hog Calling” contest provide laughs between the serious barbecue competition.
- The Memphis Blues Masters concert features top blues musicians performing nightly to keep energy levels high.
- Memphis’ restaurant community provides a “Pig Alley” tent serving items like BBQ tacos, poutine fries, and bourbon flight samples.
FAQs about the Memphis in May Barbecue Contest
Is the Memphis BBQ Contest Free?
Yes, the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest is free and open to the public! You can walk through Tom Lee Park and explore all the team booths, eat BBQ samples, and listen to live music without buying tickets.
There are VIP packages available that offer amenities like air-conditioned tents, all-you-can-eat barbecue buffets, open bars, and special seating areas.
Can You Buy BBQ From Teams?
Most barbecue teams will gladly give out or sell barbecue samples and full plates to the public. However, teams are not officially allowed to sell full meals to the general public – their barbecue entries have to be reserved for competition judging only.
There are some exceptions, such as meat products cured ahead of time like bacon, or pre-made sauce bottles. But in general, teams legally can’t fully function as restaurants during the contest.
Where Do Teams Get Their Meat?
All competitors have to buy their meat from approved vendors to ensure quality and fair pricing. There are a few designated meat vendors that supply pork shoulders, briskets, ribs and chicken.
Some of the approved vendors for 2023 include Chicago Meat Authority, Sysco Foods, and Hebert’s Specialty Meats. Teams place their orders months in advance so the suppliers know how much meat to have ready.
Who are the Judges?
The Memphis in May BBQ Contest recruits judges from across the pro barbecue community, including:
- Certified barbecue judges from sanctioning bodies like KCBS or MBN
- Cooks and pitmasters from famous BBQ joints
- Food media and writers from magazines like Texas Monthly
- Executive chefs and culinary instructors
- Previous winners of the Memphis in May contest
All judges must take an oath to judge objectively and not share any bias. Well over 100 judges are needed given the quantity of entries over 3 days.
How Much do Teams Win?
The total payout for the 2023 World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest is over $145,000 in prizes across all categories. The breakdown of the cash prizes is:
- Grand Champion – $15,000
- Reserve Grand Champion – $10,000
- 1st Place Shoulder – $4,000
- 1st Place Ribs – $4,000
- 1st Place Brisket – $4,000
- 1st Place Chicken – $4,000
- 1st Place Exotic – $4,000
There are increasingly smaller cash prizes for the teams placing 2nd through 10th in each meat category competition. Even making the top 10 earns teams a nice payout.
Conclusion
The Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest brings together barbecue masters from around the world to Tom Lee Park along the Mississippi River. For over 40 years, teams have competed to make the best Memphis-style barbecue in a fun and lively atmosphere.
The event is free for the public to enjoy music, food, and camaraderie around the common bond of great barbecue. A trip to Memphis for this iconic competition should be on the bucket list of any true barbecue fan.