Winners announced from the 9th annual Scottsboro BBQ Festival competitions
Katie Hightower
On Oct. 12, Scottsboro held its ninth annual BBQ festival presented by Publix. There was much more than BBQ and BBQ competitions at the festival. There were lots of vendors, a car show, a dog parade and dog show, a witches ride, a cornhole tournament and live entertainment. Nearly 10,000 people attended the event this year.
Vendors lined the inner and outer squares with a wide-variety of wares and foods. With over 175 vendors to choose from, everyone who attended found something to take home with them. Vendors sold candles, crocheted items, jewelry, honey, sauces, spa items, kitchen items, garden decorations, Christmas ornaments, clothing and much more. Numerous food vendors offered a wide-variety of foods and desserts for hungry festival-goers.
A wide-variety of cars and trucks were brought to the car show. Attendees were dazzled by Camaros, Jeeps, Trans Ams, Corvettes and even some hot rods. Thirty-five motorheads were able to leave the show with trophies and smiles on their faces after enjoying an afternoon with fellow car enthusiasts. After the show, most car show attendees walked through the square to see the vendors’ wares and sample BBQ.
The dog parade and show, hosted by Cutie Petooties Pet Grooming, featured many breeds of dogs. Bulldogs, retrievers, terriers, huskies and poodles all marched down the north side of the square and smiled as they made their way through the crowd. Dog lovers had to opportunity to get sloppy puppy kisses at the Kissing Booth.
A witches ride, hosted by the Art Society of Jackson County, had four witches make their way around the square in true witchy fashion. The winner of the witches ride was 8-year-old, Nova Anagnos, from Woodville. Proceeds from the witches ride benefit the Art Society of Jackson County and help promote the arts in the surrounding communities.
The cornhole tournament, hosted by Alabama Cornhole, saw 23 teams throw it out for the win. Seven sets of cornhole boards lined the parking lot under the Scottsboro Boys mural. The double elimination style matches lasted nearly two hours. In the final playoff, it was a father and son team versus another father and son team. First place winners were Ronald and Jordan.
Live entertainment included JT Clark, Jay Jenkins and the Muddy Water Band. Jenkins’ sophisticated guitar-playing wowed the crowd when he lifted his guitar behind his head and continued to play an elaborate riff. The Muddy Water Band played familiar tunes as they closed out the day’s activities and made way for the Backyard BBQ award ceremony.
There were several BBQ and food competitions. The Kids Q Competition, the People’s Choice Competition and the Backyard Competitions all drew many entries from people who traveled to Jackson County just to participate.
Close to 20 youths competed in the Kids Q Competition. Each child left with a prize bag while the winners received medals and money. Ellah Tenney won first place in the Kids Q Competition, second place went to William Moore and Zayden Willis won third place.
People’s Choice winners were: for the butt category, 1st place, team Deviant Smoke; 2nd place, team Leela Q and 3rd place, team Phoenix BBQ. For the dessert category, 1st place, team FOCAS Smokas; 2nd place, team Harbin Ford and 3rd place, Allison Hastings.
Judge’s Choice winners were: for the butt category, the Scottsboro Electric Power Board and for the dessert category, Allison Hastings.
Scottsboro Electric Power Board also won the Best Decorated Butt Table. Ken Looney, Ann Looney and Sandra Green won the Best Decorated Dessert Table.
Backyard Battle Royal winners were: 1st place, Electro-Que-Ted and 2nd place, Smokey Bee’s BBQ. This was a five-event challenge in 2024 and included previous events held at Singing River Smoke-O-Rama in Athens, High on the Hog in Winchester, Reelin’ N Smokin’ at Ditto Landing and Bernard Blues and BBQ in Cullman. Teams that competed in all the events had the opportunity to compete in the Battle Royale at Scottsboro’s BBQ Festival.
The Grand Champion of the competition was Rollin Smoke BBQ. The Reserve Grand Champion was Dixie Pigs & Chicks.
There were 38 teams from six states that competed in the ninth annual Scottsboro BBQ Festival. States included Alabama, Georgia, Kansas, Mississippi, North Carolina and Tennessee. Eight of the top 24 teams in the United States with the Backyard division of the Kansas City Barbecue Society competed in the Scottsboro BBQ festival.
Scottsboro’s next BBQ Festival will be held Oct. 11, 2025. The public is invited to save the date to celebrate 10 years of BBQ festivities.
