Families, Foodies, and Fans of BBQ Invited to Experience World’s Largest Barbecue Contest Featuring More Than 500 BBQ Teams Competing to Win World Championship of BBQ
The American Royal Association, located in the Historic West Bottoms of Kansas City, is preparing to welcome more than 500 barbecue teams from around the world to the American Royal 34th Annual World Series of Barbecue® contest this Oct. 4-6. The annual event is presented by UMB. More than 20 acres in the heart of historic Kansas City are transformed into the world’s largest celebration of barbecue, featuring family-friendly events, cooking demonstrations from culinary experts, live music, interactive entertainment, and a Kids Korral with mutton busting, a petting zoo of exotic animals, and face painting. The three-day festival celebrates all things barbecue – from its rich history in Kansas City to the latest and greatest developments in grilling, smoking, and preparing championship quality barbecued meats.
The American Royal, which officially became the home of the Barbecue Hall of Fame last year, will host a special celebration ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 5, honoring the 2013 Barbecue Hall of Fame inductees for each of the three award achievement categories: Pitmaster, Business/Industry and Celebrity/Humanitarian. Information about the 2012 inductees and all previous inductees can be found at www.AmericanRoyal.com.
The World Series of Barbecue® is a “must attend” event for competitive pitmasters and backyard barbecue enthusiasts alike. The competition is intense – world-renowned pitmasters and top-ranked BBQ teams compete in regional contests throughout the year, and the American Royal is considered the season finale for teams in the competitive barbecue circuit. The Open Contest, presented by Joe’s Kansas City, consistently draws the largest number of contestants, which makes it the toughest contest to win in the world of competitive barbecue. The Invitational Contest, presented by KC Masterpiece, has become the most acclaimed contest each year because only teams earning a Grand Championship in other state and designated contests are allowed to compete.
In 2012, the Royal was able to give $1.4 million in scholarship and educational awards. In addition to its educational mission, the American Royal generates some $60 million of economic impact, $4.4 million in local tax revenues, and supports 450 jobs. The 2013 American Royal is presented by Bayer HealthCare Animal Health Division and includes many other events. For more information, visit www.AmericanRoyal.com or call (816) 221-9800.
