KANNAPOLIS, N.C. — More than 60 teams have already signed up for the second annual Jiggy with the Piggy BBQ Challenge in downtown Kannapolis, where they will compete for $20,000 worth of prizes.
The barbecue challenge takes place May 9 and 10 and is part of a whole line of festivities at Jiggy Jam, the new name for the annual Village Fest. Organizers hope Jiggy Jam will draw more than 10,000 visitors.
There will be free live music at Center Stage on West Avenue, free screenings of the Disney movie “Planes” and the Kenny Rogers/Diane Lane feature film “Six Pack” on an outdoor screen in front of the North Carolina Research Campus, along with a free screening at the Gem Theatre of an episode of the new TV series “BBQ Pit Wars.”
Eddie Smith, City of Kannapolis assistant manager, is one of the organizers for the Jiggy with the Piggy BBQ Challenge, and he said that they are still taking applications for barbecue teams, but already they have 64 teams after getting 58 teams for the inaugural competition last year.
“That’s significant because your average first-time event only has about 25 teams,” Smith said. “A lot of that might have to do with the fact I went to a lot of competitions and promoted it and I compete too, so I know a lot of the folks.”
Smith has been competing in barbecue festivals since June 2010, and his work even got the attention from a camera crew for the Travel Channel’s show “All You Can Meat” in 2012. Smith used to barbecue with his friend, Justin Hembree, for their tailgate parties when they went to Appalachian State University football games. When Hembree went on to be town manager for Tryon, the city organized a barbecue competition and Hembree asked Smith to join in. Smith has been competing in barbecue festivals ever since.
“It’s such a close-knit community, you get to know everybody rather quickly,” Smith said. “And it’s one of those subcultures, when you are not involved you really don’t know it exists, but when you are involved in it you ask yourself, ‘Why isn’t everybody involved with it?’”
And there’s plenty for people to get involved with this year. Last year, Village Fest offered free concerts and entertainment. This year, the Cabarrus Events Association is changing the name to Jiggy Jam, and Smith said there will be more than 100 arts and craft vendors. There will also be more than a dozen food vendors.
Plus, there will also be a car show and the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame fundraiser, the Rhythm & Run 5K.
“It really comes down to the quality of the event, everything happening on the weekend of the event,” Smith said. “If you can provide more entertainment value, not only for the pit masters, but their families that may attend, and you provide a great awards ceremony and purse prize and site location, all those things add up to a dynamite event.”
Last year, the different events drew more than 10,000 people to downtown Kannapolis, many enjoying the two different People’s Choice Awards including wings and pork competitions.
Patrons can head over to the Old Cabarrus Bank Building at 201 West Ave., from 7-9 p.m. Friday, May 9 for the wings competition. Tickets are $10 each, and patrons get to sample 10 wings. Last year, the event sold out with more than 350 visitors.
Then on Saturday, May 10, from noon to 2 p.m., participants can head to the old bank building for 10 samples of pork barbecue. Tickets are $10 each. This even sold out last year, too, with more than 350 people voting in the People’s Choice Awards.
People can also start their day on Saturday, May 10, with another event — The Cannon Memorial YMCA Pancake Breakfast. From 8 a.m.-11 a.m. that day visitors can go to the YMCA — located at 101 YMCA Drive, Kannapolis. Tickets are $5 each for all-you-can-eat pancakes and sausage.
And if you still haven’t found enough to do that Saturday? There is National Train Day being celebrated for free at the Kannapolis Train Station, 201 S Main St, Kannapolis. Visitors can head to the station from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 10, to learn more about the Kannapolis Train Station and the history of trains in America.
“This weekend is going to be unbelievably successful for Kannapolis,” Smith said. “The community exposure will be overwhelming, and it gives us a chance to showcase what we provide our residents, business owners and visitors.”
For a full schedule of events that weekend or to register a team in the barbecue challenge visit http://www.jiggywiththepiggy.com/ for more information. Teams can register to compete and the entry fee is $250 per team.
The events are being coordinated by City of Kannapolis, The N.C. Music Hall of Fame, A.L. Brown Interact Club, Kannapolis Rotary, Kannapolis YMCA, Cabarrus Events Association and Downtown Kannapolis, Inc.
Contact Michael Knox at 704-789-9133.
Marty Hough preps his barbecue smoker, his cooking team’s weapon of choice in last year’s Jiggy with the Piggy competition.
KANNAPOLIS — More than 60 teams have already signed up for the second annual Jiggy with the Piggy BBQ Challenge in downtown Kannapolis, where they will compete for $20,000 worth of prizes.
The barbecue challenge takes place May 9 and 10 and is part of a whole line of festivities at Jiggy Jam, the new name for the annual Village Fest. Organizers hope Jiggy Jam will draw more than 10,000 visitors.
There will be free live music at Center Stage on West Avenue, free screenings of the Disney movie “Planes” and the Kenny Rogers/Diane Lane feature film “Six Pack” on an outdoor screen in front of the North Carolina Research Campus, along with a free screening at the Gem Theatre of an episode of the new TV series “BBQ Pit Wars.”
Eddie Smith, City of Kannapolis assistant manager, is one of the organizers for the Jiggy with the Piggy BBQ Challenge, and he said that they are still taking applications for barbecue teams, but already they have 64 teams after getting 58 teams for the inaugural competition last year.
“That’s significant because your average first-time event only has about 25 teams,” Smith said. “A lot of that might have to do with the fact I went to a lot of competitions and promoted it and I compete too, so I know a lot of the folks.”
Smith has been competing in barbecue festivals since June 2010, and his work even got the attention from a camera crew for the Travel Channel’s show “All You Can Meat” in 2012. Smith used to barbecue with his friend, Justin Hembree, for their tailgate parties when they went to Appalachian State University football games. When Hembree went on to be town manager for Tryon, the city organized a barbecue competition and Hembree asked Smith to join in. Smith has been competing in barbecue festivals ever since.
“It’s such a close-knit community, you get to know everybody rather quickly,” Smith said. “And it’s one of those subcultures, when you are not involved you really don’t know it exists, but when you are involved in it you ask yourself, ‘Why isn’t everybody involved with it?’”
And there’s plenty for people to get involved with this year. Last year, Village Fest offered free concerts and entertainment. This year, the Cabarrus Events Association is changing the name to Jiggy Jam, and Smith said there will be more than 100 arts and craft vendors. There will also be more than a dozen food vendors.
Plus, there will also be a car show and the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame fundraiser, the Rhythm & Run 5K.
“It really comes down to the quality of the event, everything happening on the weekend of the event,” Smith said. “If you can provide more entertainment value, not only for the pit masters, but their families that may attend, and you provide a great awards ceremony and purse prize and site location, all those things add up to a dynamite event.”
Last year, the different events drew more than 10,000 people to downtown Kannapolis, many enjoying the two different People’s Choice Awards including wings and pork competitions.
Patrons can head over to the Old Cabarrus Bank Building at 201 West Ave., from 7-9 p.m. Friday, May 9 for the wings competition. Tickets are $10 each, and patrons get to sample 10 wings. Last year, the event sold out with more than 350 visitors.
Then on Saturday, May 10, from noon to 2 p.m., participants can head to the old bank building for 10 samples of pork barbecue. Tickets are $10 each. This even sold out last year, too, with more than 350 people voting in the People’s Choice Awards.
People can also start their day on Saturday, May 10, with another event — The Cannon Memorial YMCA Pancake Breakfast. From 8 a.m.-11 a.m. that day visitors can go to the YMCA — located at 101 YMCA Drive, Kannapolis. Tickets are $5 each for all-you-can-eat pancakes and sausage.
And if you still haven’t found enough to do that Saturday? There is National Train Day being celebrated for free at the Kannapolis Train Station, 201 S Main St, Kannapolis. Visitors can head to the station from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 10, to learn more about the Kannapolis Train Station and the history of trains in America.
“This weekend is going to be unbelievably successful for Kannapolis,” Smith said. “The community exposure will be overwhelming, and it gives us a chance to showcase what we provide our residents, business owners and visitors.”
For a full schedule of events that weekend or to register a team in the barbecue challenge visit http://www.jiggywiththepiggy.com/ for more information. Teams can register to compete and the entry fee is $250 per team.
The events are being coordinated by City of Kannapolis, The N.C. Music Hall of Fame, A.L. Brown Interact Club, Kannapolis Rotary, Kannapolis YMCA, Cabarrus Events Association and Downtown Kannapolis, Inc.