Indulge in mouthwatering ribs, chicken, brisket and pork while enjoying some of the best Blues music at the Jersey Shore during the 18th Annual New Jersey State Barbeque Championship and Anglesea Blues Festival Friday, July 8 through Sunday, July 10. The event will take place at 2nd and Olde New Jersey Avenues in North Wildwood.
The three-day festival will feature barbeque teams from around the country showing off their grill skills in a quest for the best barbeque. Teams will compete for glory by attempting to create masterfully marinated and seasoned meats, grilled to perfection, in order to earn the title of Grand Champion. The New Jersey State Barbeque Championship is an elite 2016 official automatic qualifying event for the World Food Championships. The Grand Champion will advance to the WFC in Orange Beach, Ala. to compete against the best of the best. The WFC is invitation only, and the New Jersey State Barbeque Championship is among only 100 international contests entitled to send its Grand Champion to the WFC! The festival will also feature FREE live Blues music performed by some of the region’s most soulful artists.
The festival kicks off Friday, July 8 with an opening ceremony at 4 p.m. and the “Fun and Games Crew” from Cat Country 107.3 from 5 to 7 p.m., along with some of the best barbeque in the state and FREE Blues performances from 4 to 7 p.m. by Blue Jay Slim & the Tone Blasters, and The Steve Cal’ Band from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. Friday’s festivities will conclude at 11 p.m.
Saturday, July 9 festival hours are 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. and will include live broadcasts from New Jersey 101.5 featuring Big Joe Henry from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 106.3 WJSE from 2 to 4 p.m. A surprise ingredient, dessert and sauce contest takes place at 3 p.m. Guests can enjoy FREE live musical sets featuring Jeff Fetterman Blues from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Brian Brazil Blues Band from 1 to 3:30 p.m.; James Day & the Fish Fry from 4 to 7 p.m.; and Frank Bey and the Swing City Blues Band from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m.
The festival will also feature a 90-minute Kids Que BBQ Cooking Class on Saturday at 11 a.m. hosted by BBQ Pitmaster Jack McDavid. The cooking class is aimed at children ages 9-17 and will feature how to make a great backyard barbeque. A $10 tuition and advanced registration is required. Adults 18 years of age and over may also participate in the cooking class with a tuition fee of $20.
The festival concludes on Sunday, July 10 with live broadcasts by 98.7 The Coast from noon to 2 p.m. and SoJo 104.9 from noon to 3 p.m. Judging for the 2016 Barbeque Grand Championship – conducted by the Kansas City Barbeque Society and a panel of volunteer judges – begins at noon, with the awards ceremony commencing at 4:30 p.m. FREE live Blues performances continue with Bev Conklin Blues from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and The BC Combo from 1 to 4 p.m.
The 18th Annual New Jersey State Barbeque Championship and Anglesea Blues Festival is a celebration of great food, great music and family fun you won’t want to miss, so pack up your appetite and groove to the blues in the Wildwoods Friday, July 8 through Sunday, July 10. Admission is FREE!
For additional information, call (609) 523-6565, or visit www.njbbq.com or www.angleseablues.com.