Food, music and fun: Bands Brews and BBQ festival a huge success

Port Royal has never smelled as good as it has this weekend as the all-you-can-eat Bands Brews & BBQ festival filled Paris Avenue with nearly 30 cooking teams from all over the southeast and the aroma of lots of great BBQ filled the air.

Friday night saw live music, lots of brews and wings, wings, wings and Saturday was the big day with the big state-sanctioned SC BBQ Association Ribs and Butts cook off taking center stage.

The entire festival was a good old fashioned block party, with live music and dancing in the street. Attendees cruised up and down the block, trying all kinds of different foods and chatting with all the friends and neighbors who were enjoying their time as well.

The weather may have been on the chilly side, but the food was hot and the crowd sure was lively.

With team names like the BBQ Militia and Ultimate Tailgators in attendance, these folks take their BBQ seriously. As much fun as this event is, and trust me it is the all you can eat kind of fun, it serves a higher purpose by being a fundraiser for Friends of Caroline Hospice, a worthy cause if there ever was one.Walmart in Hardeeville showed their community love and involvement by presenting the local organization with a whopping $50,000 donation check

In a big surprise ending to the festival, Walmart in Hardeeville showed their community love and involvement by presenting the local organization with a whopping $50,000 donation check.

“Friends of Caroline Hospice is thrilled and humbled to receive a $50,000 grant from the Wal-mart Foundation. Grant funds will go a long way to provide quality end-of-life care to our patients”, its Facebook page said.

Here are the winners from the weekend’s judging:

Ribs:
1st Blowin’ Smoke
2nd Tri County BBQ Militia
3rd Yes, Dear BBQ

Butts:
1st Ultimate Tailgators BBQ
2nd Backwoods Bar-B-Que
3rd In the Army QGrand Champion (ribs and butts): Ultimate Tailgaters BBQ

Wings:
1st Ultimate Tailgators BBQ
2nd JT’s BBQ
3rd Smokin’ Sea Eagle

Grand Champion (ribs and butts):
Ultimate Tailgaters BBQ

People’s Choice:
Pair O Dice Pork Company

Brewery:
Shebeen Brewery

All were winners in our book. See y’all next year on Paris Avenue for the 7th Annual event!

For hundreds of photos of the 6th Annual Bands Brews & BBQ festival, visit our Photo Gallery.

Food, music and fun: Bands Brews and BBQ festival a huge success Food, music and fun: Bands Brews and BBQ festival a huge success Food, music and fun: Bands Brews and BBQ festival a huge success Food, music and fun: Bands Brews and BBQ festival a huge success Food, music and fun: Bands Brews and BBQ festival a huge success Food, music and fun: Bands Brews and BBQ festival a huge success