Stokin' the Fire BBQ Festival

The Stokin' the Fire BBQ Festival is a nationally-sanctioned professional barbecue competition and festival held annually at Sloss Furnaces. In addition to professional competition, amateur barbecuers are judged and visitors can sample selected barbecue products. Musical acts, kid's activities, and tours of the Furnaces museum round out the weekend.

2005

20,000 people attended and tasted offerings from 100 barbecue producers on August 27. The event, which is sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue Society, sparked discussion which led to the creation of the Alabama Barbecue Association and the Alabama BBQ Trail.

Winners

• Top five: Britt's Barbecue (Champion), Blindog's Outlaw BBQ Gang (Reserve), Jiggy Piggy, EJ's BBQ, Butt Masters
• Chicken: Jack's Old South, Butt Masters, S & S Cookers
• Ribs: Butts Bellies & Buddies, Governor's BBQ, Late Night Whiskey Smokers
• Pork: EJ's BBQ, South Pork, The Tenderonies
• Brisket: EJ's BBQ, Jiggy Piggy, Papa J's
• Sauce: Team Top Chick, Lazy Bones, Butts Bellies & Buddies
• Anything Butt: FireHouse BBQ, Lazy Bones, Midnight Smokers

2006

The second annual event is scheduled for August 25-26. 66 cooking teams will be present for the competition. The winners will take home a share of a $20,000 purse and advance to national competition. Cooking demonstrations by local chefs will take place alongside the main event. Bands will play on the main stage under the No. 2 casting shed while the 2nd Annual Stokin' the Fire Karaoke Invitational is held on a second stage under the water tower. On the festival's 2nd day an arts and crafts marketplace will be added to the event. Children's activities, carnival food, and interactive exhibits are planned as well. Advance weekend passes are $15. Day tickets at the door are $10 with discounts for children. Proceeds from the event will be used toward implementation of Sloss' master plan, including a new entrance and visitor's center, enhancements to existing facilities, and expansion of the Sloss Metal Arts program.

Musical acts

• Rhett Miller
• Will Hoge
• The Iguanas
• Po' Monkey
• Wild Sweet Orange
• The Rhythms
• Big Daddy's New Band
• South Saturn Delta
• Michael Warren

Reference

• Stokin' the Fire Promotional Section (August 2006) Birmingham Magazine. Vol. 46, No. 8