VOTE NOW! Which Owensboro Church Team Makes the Best Bar-B-Q?

It's back! Owensboro's annual Bar-B-Q feeding frenzy is set for May 13th and 14th downtown. And, this year, for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the festival is going to feel a lot like it used to.  In addition to delicious Bar-B-Q being smoked, there are going to be vendors, carnival rides, midway games, special celebrity guests and more!

The 2022 Bar-B-Q Block Party runs Friday from Noon to 9pm and Saturday from 10am to 9pm. Like usual, some of the most popular church cooking teams here in town will be serving up pork, chicken and burgoo. More on that in a bit because, to rally some team spirit and excitement for the event, we want you to chime in and vote for your favorite team!

In addition to the church teams serving up the food that's made their annual church picnics legendary, there will also be more than 30 different teams competing in the Backyard Cooking Competition. That competition is set for Saturday and teams will be competing and offering samples.

This year's Bar-B-Q Block Party will also feature some local food trucks and vendors that specialize in BBQ- Old Hickory, Old South, J's Good Grub, Slick Back BBQ, On Time BBQ, Curbside Kitchenette and the Kentucky Legend Sampling Tent.

Kentucky Legend will also be sponsoring your opportunity to "Meat & Greet" with world famous champion eater Joey Chestnut.

This, of course, won't be Joey's first trip to Owensboro. He competed and won the inaugural World Mutton Slider Eating Championships here in town, then came back and defended his title.

This year, Joey will be appearing near the Kentucky Legend sampling tent from Noon to 1pm in front of the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum. Fans will have the chance to meet Joey and snap a photo with him.  Joey will then be a celebrity judge and awards presenter for the Backyard Cooking Competition.

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And this year's Bar-B-Q Block Party will be loaded up with live music too. Here's the entertainment scheduled for the front lawn of the Owensboro Convention Center.

FRIDAY, MAY 13TH

• 5:00pm – 7:00pm — Galactic Foghorn
• 7:00pm – 9:00pm — Whiskey Row

SATURDAY, MAY 14TH

• 11:00am – 12:00pm — Troy Miller
• 12:30pm – 1:30pm — Rack’em Leon
• 2:00pm – 3:00pm — Dakota Hayden (from Season 20 of American Idol)
• 3:15pm – 4:15pm — Carly Moffa
• 4:30pm – 4:45pm — Backyard Cooking Competition Awards
• 5:00pm – 7:00pm — Blackford Creek
• 7:00pm – 9:00pm — The League of Dangerous Gentlemen

Allen Payne, who has chaired the event for years, joined us for a full sneak preview of the 2022 event.

Now, back to the church teams. There's no doubt that the staple, the anchor of the annual Bar-B-Q Festival in Owensboro has historically been and will always be our church cooking teams. Each and every year they set up their pits and fill downtown Owensboro with the smell of delicious BBQ.

So, to get every amped up for this year's event, we have decided to stage a little friendly competition. We want to you to vote for the Best Church Cooking Team in Owensboro?