The Tryon Daily Bulletin

Reserve Grand Champions The Blue Bloods and Grand Champions Two Old Men and a Grill display their winning commemorative plates. The wins were particularly special for David and Celeste Mauro, left, and Belinda and Bobby Roberts, right, who became barbecuing friends in Florida. (photo by Samantha Hurst)

By Samantha Hurst

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Blazing barbecue weekend

Published 7:30pm Monday, June 11, 2012

Record attendance numbers at festival
Gatekeepers at the Blue Ridge Barbecue and Music Festival held this weekend at Harmon Field couldn’t sell tickets fast enough as organizers delighted in record numbers of attendees.

Tables of judges evaluate the samples of brisket in front of them as the last of four meats to be judged during the Blue Ridge Barbecue and Music Festival. In the end Pork County Barbecue placed first in brisketwhile Cool Smoke from Richmond, Va. and Smoke on This from Price, Tenn. followed in second and third. (photo by Samantha Hurst)

“I think we doubled everything,” said festival chairman Chuck Britton.
Britton said early numbers show 12,198 paid gate admissions, while 2,898 kids came through both days and another 3,688 adults got in without charge during free admission hours Friday morning.
Britton said organizers apologize for vendors running out of barbecue Saturday night. Texas Rib Rangers, an 18th-year vendor, came with 500 pounds of meat and sold 400 pounds Friday night alone. Britton said vendors had already replenished their booths with additional food shipments after Friday’s crowd, but no one could have expected double the attendance of last year.