Next weekend brings the Cornelia Apple Blossom BBQ & Brews Festival to Cornelia City Park. On Friday, April 17, the Festival begins at 5 p.m. and ends at 9 p.m., with activities and entertainment for all ages. Friday night, children can enjoy a Little Piggy Playland and a movie shown in the park’s amphitheatre. Visitors can also enjoy sampling Brunswick stew and chicken entries in the Springer Mountain Farms Chicken Challenge. Sampling costs $5, as does a guided Pit Pass Tour where guests can meet professional BBQ teams. All funds raised on the tours benefit the Cornelia Downtown Revitalization Fund. A variety of food vendors will be present and there will be beer and wine pairings in the Beverage Garden.
On Saturday, April 18, the Festival runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., culminating with the BBQ competition awards ceremony. During the day, visitors can buy a $10 sample platter of 20 pulled pork entries from competing BBQ teams and help choose the United Community Bank People’s Choice Pulled Pork favorite. Throughout the day there is entertainment, including musical performances by Luke Latimer, Gina Gailey, Jared Brooks and Clay Page.
At 11 a.m. Saturday, the Cornelia Chopped Challenge will be held, with a Rib Eating Contest at 2 p.m. Cooking demonstrations will take place throughout the day, including Springer Mountain Farms’ Chef Jonathan and Tina Cannon, winner of the Georgia regional “American Grilled” competition. Vendors will showcase a variety of BBQ tools and products.There will be a Kid’s Q chicken wing competition for children ages 6-16, overseen by Festival organizer Heather Sinyard.
For details on the Festival, contact Sinyard, the city’s Main Street/Downtown Development Authority Manager – and also part of a professional BBQ competition team – at 706-778-8585 ext. 280, or by email at [email protected]. Additional information may also be found on the city’s website at www.corneliageorgia.org.
