The Memphis-in-May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest is part of a month-long internationally recognized celebration in Memphis that includes food, arts and crafts, vendors and a focus on an international country. The cooking contest is by far one of the most renowned highlights of Memphis in May. It is a fun experience for contestants, judges and visitors. Read on to learn more.
Instructions
1. Visit the Memphis-in-May website to find out more about the current plans for this year's festival. While the details of events may change from year to year, the website is updated annually.
2. Find the cooking contest dates, which may change from year to year. Some events take place throughout the month of May, but the cooking contest is usually 3 days long in the third week of May. In 2008, the contest takes place May 15 to 17.
3. Decide what categories you would like to enter. Awards are given for best ribs, shoulders and whole hogs as well as smaller categories like best tomato sauce, mustard sauce, vinegar sauce, beef, poultry, seafood and other elements of barbecue cuisine. New participants may choose to do the general Patio Porkers division rather than another category.
4. Budget for your entry fee and rental booth. The entry fee is $60 per competition entry, but teams also have to pay between $700 and $2,600 to rent the necessary booth space. Cooking supplies and ingredients also add to the overall cost of the competition.
5. Download the necessary entry forms from the Memphis-in-May website. Click on the left side of the screen on the tab for "World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest." Underneath the tab, you can choose times and dates as well as team information. Call the festival information center at (901) 525-4611 with any questions about submitting team forms.
6. Be aware that contest rules prohibit cooking on anything other than wood or charcoal. Gas or other substances may be used to ignite the fire, but not to cook.
7. Design an attractive and exciting booth as well as a team t-shirt that reflects your home state or country. There are Best Booth and T-Shirt Design contests in addition to all of the cooking categories.
8. Book your accommodations well in advance for this event, which attracts more than 90,000 visitors, and pack comfortable shoes for the 3 days of cooking. The festival runs from 10 a.m. to midnight each day, and you may be on your feet all day cooking, greeting visitors touring the booths and talking to the press and TV networks covering the event.
9. Be aware that health regulations prohibit contest participants from selling or serving food to festival visitors. The contest is judged for large cash awards and prizes, but if you would like to sell food you must file for participation as a vendor.
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