Sean Moffatt of Pennsylvania and Michael Valenti of New York prepare garnish for their BBQ competition in Cornelia.
Umbrellas and appetites: the only things needed to enjoy Friday night at Cornelia’s Apple Blossom BBQ & Brews Festival.
A steady showering of rain made the number of visitors small, but those who attended enjoyed Brunswick stew, barbecue, and each other’s company. Festival hours scheduled for Saturday, April 18, are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
“I’m glad I came. Definitely,” said Alto’s Cody Pilgrim, who attended Friday with his mother Stephanie. While sampling fresh Brunswick stew and barbecued chicken, he said he planned “to eat as much as I can” of the offerings from cooks manning stations in Cornelia City Park.
Lem’s Meat Varnish was one barbecue sauce available for tasting. The business called Lem’s takes telephone and internet orders and mails three types of barbecue sauce from Charleston, West Virginia to all parts of the country. On Friday, Festival visitor Scott Krause of Cornelia tasted the three sauces sold by Lem’s and declared that he “likes the hot the best!”
The People’s Choice Brunswick Stew and Springer Mountain Farms’ chicken challenge on Friday cost participants $5 per person and allowed sampling from approximately 20 entry teams. Participants made their way back to the registration tent to vote for their choices.
On Saturday, the Cornelia Chopped Challenge is to take place on the stage at 11 a.m. People’s Choice samplings of pulled pork will be held at the Festival, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. A Rib Eating Contest is scheduled for 2 p.m..
Cornelia’s Apple Blossom BBQ Festival has been sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue Society (KCBS) since 2011. A group of 40 professional cooking teams are scheduled to compete on Saturday. Professional judging will determine the winning teams.
People’s Choice winners will be announced at 5 p.m.
Weather permitting, there will also be musical performances and children’s activities throughout the day.
