Pig in the Park set for Saturday
By Matt Caulder
Published in News on April 5, 2014 10:39 PM
The fifth annual Pig in the Park festival will take place Saturday to flaunt the area's best barbecue and a wide array of activities.
Goldsboro Milling Co. and Sam's Club put on the festival each year in partnership with Goldsboro Travel and Tourism and the Downtown Goldsboro Development Corp. to raise money for the Boys & Girls Club.
The festival will be held in Old Waynesborough Park from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. rain or shine, and features pig-cooking contests, vendors and live music.
Barbecue cooking teams are full for both the Backyard BBQ and North Carolina Pork Council competitions.
"We need at least 10 teams for the professional competition and we have 15," Goldsboro Boys & Girls Club Development Director Jo Heidenreich said.
The Backyard BBQ competition will be scored by blind judging before the "whole hog cook-off" begins with teams vying for the title of Wayne County's Best Barbecue.
Trophies are given to the top three finishers in the Backyard BBQ contest.
The "whole hog cook-off" event will be judged by certified NCPC judges and the top three teams will be eligible to enter the NCPC state championship barbecue cook-off. The first place team will receive $300 and have its entry fee paid for the state contest.
After the judging at 10:30 a.m., barbecue plates will be served from noon until 2:30 p.m.
Tickets are $6 each when purchased in advance and $8 at the event and can be purchased by contacting Mrs. Heidenreich at 919-735-2358 or jheidenreichbgcwayne@nc.rr.com.
The entertainment this year features the Drumming Up Character drumline from the Boys & Girls Club, the Mighty Saints of Soul and the Carolina Treat Band from 2-4 p.m.
Vendors will close down shop at 4 p.m.
New this year, the movie "Babe" will be shown at the Paramount Theatre Tuesday at 7 p.m.
On Friday evening, the "Barnyard Bar Bounce" will begin at 7 p.m. at The Arts Council of Wayne County before moving at the end of each hour.
After the Arts Council, the group will be directed to JoJo's Tea and Coffee Shop, then on to John Street where they will visit Torero's, Matchbox and then end up at the Flying Shamrock at 11 p.m.
The Boss Hog competition to raise money to have the winner kiss a pig is also on and last year's winner Geoff Hulse returns for a second year.
Hulse is sponsored by Matchbox.
Also in the running are Goldsboro City Councilman Michael Headen, sponsored by B&G Grill, Assistant District Attorney Terry Light, sponsored by JoJo's Tea and Coffee Shop, Patrick Lechner, sponsored by Torero's and Martha Bryan, sponsored by the Flying Shamrock.
Between now and Friday, people can purchase a set of pig lips in support of their favorite candidate for the title. Votes are $1 each and $5 lips are also available for purchase. The contestant with the most votes wins the title of Boss Hog for a year and gets to kiss a pig at this year's Pig in the Park.
For more information on the event, call 919-735-2358 or go online to www.piginthepark.com.