The BBQ Cookoff at the Harvard Fall Festival has been a regular stop for BBQ teams from the Northeast and beyond since 2007 and a qualified State Championship contest since 2008. That means the team who wins the Grand Championship fromHarvard gets an invite to the American Royal Invitational BBQ contest in Kansas City, a prestigious national contest with over 150 teams competing from all over. Last year, our very own Smokin’ Hoggz BBQ, a perennial competitor at Harvard, took home the top honors at the American Royal, otherwise known as the “World Series of BBQ”. Smokin’ Hoggz has also won the Jack Daniels Invitational in Memphis, along with I Que, another Harvard competitor. So never let it be said that you have to be from someplace down south to cook great BBQ!

The weekend BBQ contests include two competitive events; the NEBS grilling contest – with turn-in and judging from 2-4 on Saturday, and the KCBS contest, with turn-in and judging from 12-2 on Sunday. Visitors are encouraged to visit the BBQ camp area

and talk with the teams during the weekend – just not during turn-in and judging time; they are passionate about their cooking and a great bunch of people to hang out with.

Unfortunately, the teams are not here to sell theirBBQ (prohibited in MA). But you can sample their cooking (and vote for your favorite) during our two people’s choice contests held in the People’s Choice Tent on Saturday and Sunday, and BBQ will be available for purchase throughout the weekend in the Fall Festival food court. So if you like BBQ, plan to spend some time in the camp with the BBQ teams, make a few new friends, and sample some tasty BBQ at the Harvard Fall Festival this year!