The Party: Carnivores converged on The Bend for all-you-can-eat smoky creations prepared by 20 of the nation’s top pitmasters. Guests queued up to grab plates from three villages—Traditional, Texas, and “New School”––each manned by a handful of experts. Offerings ranged from a “soul bowl” (a Frito’s bag cut down the middle and stuffed with rice, pinto beans, collard greens, and smoked pork belly) to St. Louis ribs with mac and cheese and Kool-Aid pickles. Proceeds from the festival benefited the Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital and Hogs for the Cause, the nation’s leading funding source for children with pediatric brain cancer and their families.
Highlight: An offering of potlikker shots made from the Traditional Village’s collards
Overheard: “Oh my gosh, this brisket is literally melting in my mouth.”
Beneficiary: Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital and Hogs for the Cause
