Barbecue event expected to net more than $25K
By Steve Herring
Published in News on May 10, 2012 1:46 PM
The third annual Pig in the Park held last month at Old Waynesborough Park is expected to net between $25,000 to $30,000 for the Boys and Girls Club of Wayne County.
While the proceeds are still being counted from the barbecue cookoff competition, planning already is under way for next year's event in which organizers hope to expand activities in the downtown area.
Planned for April 12-13, it will kick off on Friday night downtown, before moving to Old Waynesborough Park on Saturday and then back to downtown that night.
"We will probably add things next year to keep it growing," said organizer Rick Sumner, vice president of the club's board of directors. "We are trying to incorporate downtown more. We have still got to flesh out what to offer Saturday night.
"The barbecue is family and kid friendly, but we want to have activities and excitement downtown, maybe more music. Our goal is to keep it growing and make it bigger and better each year."
This year's April 14 event was sponsored by Goldsboro Milling Co. and Sam's Club in partnership with Goldsboro Wayne County Travel and Tourism and the Goldsboro Downtown Development Corp.
"We have collected $25,000, but we think it will be closer to $30,000," Sumner said. "It is always hard to estimate crowds, but we had 5,000 to 6,000, which is probably our biggest turnout."
The goal is to raise about $25,000 compared to the $14,000 the first Pig in the Park generated, Sumner said.
"It is really money that is needed to keep the club running and to keep the daily operations going," he said.
The cookoff featured 24 teams in two divisions, Backyard for local cooks and, for the first time, a North Carolina Pork Council division. Approximately 2,000 plates of barbecue were sold.
Backyard division winners were: Goldsboro Parks and Recreation, first place; Oak Brook Apartments, second place; and BB&T, third.
The showmanship winner for best-looking cook area was Goldsboro Parks and Recreation.
North Carolina Pork Council division winners were: Pigs Cookin' Hogs, first place; Wilder's Old Style BBQ, second; and JJ's Cooking Team, third. The three teams are eligible to compete in the state championship cookoff.