The Rhode Island State BBQ Championship held at 821 Cowesett Road, Warwick, Rhode Island on July 5th and 6th, 2024, has grown extremely rapidly since its inauguration and is now one of the biggest events on the Ocean State’s culinary calendar. It is held annually as part of the South County Hot Air Balloon Festival. It has evolved into something no kind of BBQ fan would want to miss—competitor or visitor.
Origins
The history of the Rhode Island State BBQ Championship goes back to the early 2000s when locals who loved BBQ were looking for a venue to show off their talents. Originally, this was a very small community-centered event with little or no attention outside Rhode Island. Then, in 2007, the competition received an official sanction from the Kansas City Barbeque Society, placing it on the national barbecue circuit.
Increasing Popularity Of The Competition
The event’s inclusion in the KCBS circuit increased its visibility and credibility. It started attracting elite BBQ teams across surrounding states, all competing for the same champion title. By 2012, this championship experienced considerable growth. Categories such as chicken, ribs, pork, and brisket added more participants with a vast display of BBQ styles and techniques, thus making it even more inviting.
In 2017, the Rhode Island BBQ Championship celebrated its tenth year with record numbers of both competitors and visitors. This truly showed that the event was rapidly gaining in popularity and became a notable event among BBQ communities. The championship then started attracting coverage in local newspapers and food blogs, describing the fierce competition paired with the mouth-watering creations of the competitors.
More Recently
Reemerging after the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022 and 2023, the state barbecue competition experienced a revitalization. In 2022, the organization Hogs 4 Heroes took the initiative to rejuvenate the event, ensuring it was sanctioned with the New England Barbecue Society (NEBS). Building on this momentum, they successfully secured sanctioning from the Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) in 2023. These efforts brought new life to the competition, attracting more participants and spectators, and reigniting the community’s passion for barbecue.
This year’s RI Barbecue Championship is proudly sanctioned by the Champion Barbecue Alliance from Texas. With over 20 competitors, including some traveling from Texas, the event promises fierce competition. Governed by Kansas City Barbecue Society (KCBS) rules, the Ocean State BBQ Championship operates under a Rhode Island state proclamation. It serves as an automatic qualifier for the prestigious Jack Daniels Invitational in Tennessee. Additionally, the Grand Champion will receive an invitation to the American Royal World Series of Barbecue in Kansas City, MO. The KCBS Grand Champion is eligible to compete in the 2024 World Food Barbecue Championship.
This year’s competition will feature Bill Gillespie, founder and Head Pit Master of the World Champion Smokin’ Hoggz BBQ. Also in attendance will be the renowned Bill Purvis of Chicken Fried Barbecue.
I live less than 1 mile from this year’s site and knew nothing about it. Maybe next year, there could be more advanced information prior to the event.