Major barbecue competition coming to Columbia area

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Barbecue fans will have a lot to be happy about a year from now when a major barbecue competition comes to the Midlands.

The Capital City/Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism Board announced this week that the inaugural Southeastern BBQ Showdown will be held at Segra Park in Columbia in June 2024.

The two-day event is being billed as the first “Food Sport Competition Event” ever to be held in a sports complex in the U.S., according to a news release. Segra Park is the home of the Columbia Fireflies minor league baseball team.

The Tourism Board is partnering with the Columbia Fireflies to develop the event.

The Showdown will pit competitive barbecue cooks from around the country against each other. Teams will compete during the two-day ticketed event which will culminate with a country music concert and a fireworks show finale. The event will be open to the public and also include a vendor expo, food tastings and shag music.

The specific date for the event has yet to be announced. More information about the developing plans for the event can be found on the Showdown’s Facebook page.