From October 28-29, over 100 championship barbecue teams from around the world will descend on Lynchburg, TN for the 30th Annual Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue.
Once there, teams compete in seven categories: Pork Ribs, Pork Shoulder/Butts, Beef Brisket, Chicken, Dessert, Cook’s Choice (Home Cookin’ from the Homeland for internationals) and Jack Daniel’s Sauce. Winners will savor their share of more than $45,000 in cash and prizes.
Throughout the weekend, about 25,000- 30,000 spectators will descend on Lynchburg to watch the spectacle of competitive barbecuing and enjoy additional festivities such as a music stage, clogging, the country dog costume contest, games and butt (as in pork) bowling, and many other Vendors.
Jack Daniel’s is the world’s best selling whiskey and every single drop is made in the small Tennessee town of Lynchburg.
Jack Daniel’s is the world’s oldest registered distillery in the United States and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Throughout the Barbecue and every day (excluding major holidays), the distillery offers tours between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
To qualify, domestic teams must have won a state championship with a minimum of 25 teams entered, or a competition with more than 50 teams battling in the categories of Pork Ribs, Pork Butts, Chicken and Beef Brisket. The final competitors are then selected during a blind drawing of all eligible teams in August.
Here's the complete list of those teams selected to compete in this year's Invitational contest:
AL: Heath Riles BBQ
AL Home State: The Specialists
AR: 501 BBQ
AZ: The Pit Crew BBQ of AZ
CA: Toot & Stinky's Cali-Q
CO: Backdraft BBQ
CT: Rhode Hog BBQ
DE: Drilling & Grilling BBQ Team
FL: Swamp Boys
GA: Killer B's BBQ
IA: When Pigs Die
IA Home State: The Twisted Tail
ID: Got Smoke Bar-B-Que
IL: Rooters-N-Tooters
IN: Farmer's Retreat Smokin Barbeque
KS: The Smoking Hills
KY: B&R Smoke
KY Home State: Blue Chip BBQ
LA: Big Bear BBQ
MA Home State: Paddy McQ's
MD: Pavone Brothers BBQ
MI: iBQ'n@TheBBQSuperStore.com
MN: Hogline
MO: Burnt Finger BBQ
MS: SouthSide BBQ
MT: B-S BBQ Outlaws
MT Home State: Montana Outlaw BBQ
NC: Wolf's Revenge BBQ
ND Home State: Spitfire
NE: Little Pig Town
NJ: Piggin' Whiskey
NJ Home State: Weekend Smokers
NM: The American Dream BBQ Team
NM Home State: Kiss My Rack
NV: Rooftop Barbeque
NV Home State: Squat and Gobble Barbeque
NY: Good Smoke BBQ
OH: Grey Street BBQ
OH Home State: Elegantly Violent BBQ
OK: Fat Boys BBQ - Temple, TX
OR: Son of Smoke
OR Home State: BAD BONES BBQ
PA: Bone to Bark BBQ
SC: Sweet Smoke Q
SC Home State: Fire and Smoke Shak
SD: Shiggin & Grinnin
TN: Hot Cole's BBQ
TX: Texas Pepper Jelly
UT: Grillin' Beavers
VA: Who Cares BBQ
WA: Lake House BBQ
WI: Channabilly BBQ
WI Home State: Turnin' Up The Heat
WILD CARD: Droptine Cookers
WY: You Que'd Me All Night Long
2017 Jack GC: Rocky Top Barbecue
2017 Am. Royal: Porky Butts BBQ
2018 HLR: Buns-N-Roses
2018 MIM: The Shed BBQ
Seven Wins: Boomerang BBQ
Seven Wins: Butcher BBQ
Seven Wins: Clark Crew BBQ
Seven Wins: Getting' Basted
Seven Wins: Shake 'n Bake BBQ
Seven Wins: Smoke Me Silly
Seven Wins: Vallee A/C Cold Smoke
Competed 9 years: Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q
Competed 9 years: Iowa's Smokey D's BBQ
AK Automatic: Big Daddy's Pitbull
DC Automatic: Serial Griller
MA Automatic: Insane Swine BBQ
ME Automatic: Smokin' Hoggz BBQ - MA
NH Automatic: Big Raz BBQ
RI Automatic: Dr Pearl's Medicinal Smoke BBQ
VT Automatic: Fire Down Below
WV Automatic: Spittin' Feathers BBQ