This weekend’s forecast calls for smoky skies filled with a scent of barbeque in the Flagship District of Pascagoula as the 8th annual Downtown BBQ Throwdown takes to the streets.
The Pascagoula Men’s Club is making plans to take over downtown Pascagoula on October 17 and 18 for the annual event that includes a Friday evening block party with live entertainment and a Saturday barbeque tasting competition. After two weekends of rain, this weekend’s event is expecting sunny skies with high temperatures in the low 70s and low temperatures in the mid 50s.
Bruce Linton is the barbeque event organizer for the Pascagoula Men’s Club and said this event helps to fund the annual community projects supported by the club.
“We cook and distribute 400 hams each Thanksgiving to area churches, we donate to Adrian’s house, and build handicap ramps at homes of the elderly,” Linton said. “Basically, we are here to answer the call and needs of the community.”
Each grilling team pays $225 to enter the competition. The fee covers the meat they will be preparing. Tasting bracelets for the public will be sold beginning at 11 a.m. on Saturday for $15 each. He said 800 bracelets are sold annually.
Along with award-winning barbeque, Saturday will also include local arts and crafts vendors, live music and drink specials at downtown bars along with something a little special this year. This is the first year that grilling teams can choose to enter a sanctioned category where they will be judged by the Memphis Barbeque Network to earn points toward competing at Memphis in May.
“We just became a sanctioned event with Memphis in May,” Linton said. “These teams compete in multiple sanctioned competitions to earn point toward the Memphis competition. Because it is so new, it may not affect our event this year, but it will going forward.”
Competing teams earning points generally begin earning points in the summer and throughout the year. They set their annual calendar based on events. Linton believes that the Pascagoula event will be popular for those teams.
This year the event will feature 16 teams, both backyard and sanctioned, all vying for cash prizes. Linton said his favorite category is the UFO that was created in honor of the Pascagoula alien abduction.
“It can be anything,” he said. “You may taste a dessert, entree, side dish because there are no rules about what they can earn. You will find anything from maple bread pudding to a seafood dish.”
While this is one of two of the annual fundraisers for the Pascagoula Men’s Club, it is also a win-win for the downtown merchants and the community.
“Everyone loves the venue and the merchants appreciate our support,” Linton said. “It is one of those events that everyone enjoys.”
*All photos are courtesy of PMB Facebook.
