The overall winner of the contest, which is sanction by the Kansas City Barbecue Association, will travel to Kansas City MO to compete for the National Championship.

The Barbecue contest will be part of the 1st Annual Piscataquis Valley Heritage Festival .The two day event will be held at the Piscataquis Valley Fairgrounds and will feature Blue Grass Music, a Traditional Skills Day by the CHET Committee and much more.

Barbecue Chairmen James Macomber and members of the Chamber committee recently travel to Massachusetts to attend a judging school. Maccomber believes that the barbecue festival will attract cooks from the Northeastern States to compete for the Maine Championship.

The winners will be awarded cash prizes and will be judged in the following catorgries

Chicken/Pork Ribs/ Pork Shoulder and Beef Brisket. Macomber explained that the cooking would begin on Saturday and go through the night with judging to take place on Sunday afternoon.

If you would like more information about the State of Maine Championship Barbecue Contest or the Piscataquis Valley Heritage Festival go to the Southern Piscataquis County Chamber of Commerce web site at or call Dennis Lyford at 207-564-7533 or Jim Macomber at 207-564-8355.