We’re officially well into December! And you know what that means? Sip & Swine BBQ Festival 2019 is only three months away! We’re starting to get really excited for next year’s BBQ festival. It’s always a good time, and we’re ready to usher in the spring with some live music, some great food, and some fundraising for a worthy local cause. The event will be on Friday, March 1st (3 p.m. – 10 p.m.) and Saturday, March 2nd (11 a.m. – 6 p.m.) at Coolray Field in Buford, GA.
Just like in years past, Sip & Swine 2019 will benefit The Home of Hope at Gwinnett Children’s Shelter, which is a nonprofit that helps homeless children and their young mothers in the Gwinnett County area. The nonprofit provides shelter and a nurturing home for the families, but it also helps the mothers create customized life plans and gives them the tools they need to get back on their feet. The Home of Hope at Gwinnett Children’s Shelter also helps young women who age out of the foster system at age 18. It’s a great cause, and one that we’re proud to benefit. All the profits from Sip & Swine 2019 will go to The Home of Hope at Gwinnett Children’s Shelter.
This year will be the fourth annual Sip & Swine BBQ Festival – the first was in 2016. Last year, we were excited that our total attendance was nearly 12,000 over the course of the weekend. It was our best-ever attendance, and we’re hoping that we can beat our own record in 2019!
Last year, there was live music, food and craft vendors, and delicious barbeque (of course.) Plus there was the actual barbecue competition. (It’s not enough to just cook the barbeque – we have to find the best barbeque!) There were professional barbeque teams who competed against each other in four categories (Chicken, Pork, Pork Ribs, and Beef Brisket) and Amateur teams, a.k.a. Backyard teams, who competed in three categories (Chicken, Pork, and Pork Ribs.) Sip & Swine is an KCBS (Kansas City Barbeque Society) event, so we had official judges and everything.
They crowned the following champions:
- Grand Champion: The Pit Crew GA
- Reserve Grand Champion: Who Cares BBQ
- Backyard Overall: Bite Me BBQ
- Anything But Overall: Extra Mile BBQ
- Dessert Overall: Nice Rack BBQ
You can check out the winners from 2018 here. This year, we will also be having a BBQ competition. (If you’re interested in competing, check out the Competitors page.)
There was also a People’s Choice competition so that those who attended the event could vote for their personal favorite. On the Saturday of the Festival, people could purchase a Taster Kit for $10, which included samples of the competitors’ barbeque. Then everyone voted and crowned who the people thought had brought the best BBQ! Last year’s winning team was E.T.’s BBQ.
This year will also feature a People’s Choice Competition on the Saturday of the Festival. Taster Kits will be available for $10 on Saturday, March 2nd from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Admission to the event is free, but purchasing a Taster Kit and enjoying the 9 random BBQ samples inside is one way that you can support The Home of Hope at Gwinnett Children’s Shelter through the Sip & Swine BBQ Festival.
Of course, attending the event is one way to support The Home of Hope at Gwinnett Children’s Shelter, but there are other ways to get involved with Sip & Swine 2019. You can:
- Apply to be a Sponsor
- Apply to be a Volunteer
- Apply to be a Pro BBQ Team
- Apply to be a Backyard BBQ Team
- Apply to be a Vendor
- Apply to be a Judge
We hope to see you at Sip & Swine 2019! We’re looking forward to tasting some delicious BBQ, listening to some great live music, checking out the food and craft vendors’ stands, and, of course, fundraising for The Home of Hope at Gwinnett Children’s Shelter.