Coni Shepperd, Munfordville Tourism’s Marketing and Events Coordinator, announced today that thirty-one teams have already registered for the Big Buffalo Crossing BBQ Cook-Off that is scheduled for October 15 – 16 in downtown Munfordville.

“We’re telling people that instead of fastening their seatbelts, they’re going to need to loosen their belts for this event,” joked Shepperd. The teams will be competing for a total purse of $11,000, including a grand champion prize of $3,000.

Teams are coming from as far away as Oklahoma. Many of them have a lot of experience under their own belts. At least two of the teams are 2010 Grand Champions and are on

their way to the prestigious Jack Daniels Invitational competition that is held in Lynchburg, Tenn.

Teams will be arriving during the day on Friday and cooking through the night. “We’re inviting everyone to come experience the event,” says Shepperd. “You can watch the teams in action just like you see on the television competitions. We will also have music, an outdoor movie, barbecue vendors and children’s games on Friday and Saturday. The team with the best decorated campsite will win a gift basket.”

“We’ve also added a special category open to anyone,” says Shepperd. “We will have a dessert competition on Friday at 7 p.m. We hope everyone will bring their favorite homemade dessert and join in the fun. The entry fee for the dessert competition is $10, and the winner will get half the pot.”

The Cook-Off has been officially sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue Society (KCBS), the world’s largest society of barbecue enthusiasts. KCBS sanctions about 300 events in 44 U.S. states each year. KCBS provides a representative for each contest and an appropriate number of certified BBQ judges who have been trained in how to judge world-class barbeque, all while using a blind judging process that is fair and void of personal knowledge of teams being judged.

KCBS conducts official competitions at each event in the following categories: chicken, ribs, pork and brisket. The judges evaluate barbeque in three different criteria: taste, appearance and texture.

For more information about the Big Buffalo Crossing BBQ Cook-Off, contact Coni Shepperd at (270) 524-4752 or conimtourism@scrtc.com.