Memphis in May Festival BBQ competition

I'm planning on going to the 2010 Memphis in May BBQ competition and I was wondering if anyone has been to this event? I'm looking for tips on accommodations and anything else that you think might be helpful.

I apologize if this topic does not fit this forum.

When I was there in May, 2008 (not for MIM) I stayed at the Admiralty Plantation Oaks in Millington and got a nice room (double) for under $90/night.  There's also a nice little winery in Millington if that sort of thing interests you.

So will you be competing or spectating?

Brad

Eating!! Thanks for the tip.

I believe the mayor attended previously and was not a happy camper.
Don't know whether the American Royal is better as far as feeding the public or not.

Last time I went all you could do was smell the devine barbeque. Not for sale (health regs, I think) The only vendors had a poor imitation of the real thing.
    
If you know some one cooking you will have a better chance of getting the good stuff.

This was copied from the MIM website. Looks like there is a way to taste the good stuff...

Here's your chance to judge championship barbecue and select a winner!

Put yourself in the judge's seat as you sample barbecue from award winning teams. Here's how it works: Come to the Kingsford People's Choice tent and pick the best of the best.  Staff will be on hand to assist you and give you expert training on how to be a barbecue judge.  Come hungry!

Every ballot counts and the winner of the Kingsford People's Choice Contest will be announced on Saturday evening at the Awards Ceremony.

Admission: 

5 samples - $4

Judge as often as you like and get your fill of championship barbecue!

Brad mentioned Millington as an option for a place to stay.  Keep in mind it is about a 40 minute drive from there to Memphis downtown.

In my opinion. Stay downtown. The Peabody is the choice. Often they have great deals on rates. Check around the internet. Great lobby bar. Across the street more or less from the Rendesvoux,(not in my opinion the best bbq but a good choice always) close to many great barbeque spots, close to Beale Street which although quite touristy is good for some good music sometimes and a bite. Other downtown hotel choices would be the Marriot or Hampton Inn. Go to Sun Studios and see where Sam Phillips created rock and roll.

I was there in 08 stayed at the Marriott right on the trolley line.  Real handy, hotel was great.  Unless you are a contestent, it is a bit of a bore for me as there are few vendors and BBQ is unavailable for the contestents.  A huge amount of walking.  I got tired and went to Beale St.
 
It is a huge event.  It is very colorful and some of the giant facilities are engineering feets.
 
I may be wrong but I understand that the Jack Daniels BBQ contest will allow yhou to purchase BBQ from the contestants?
 
Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

I vote with Sundancer and the others. It is huge competition with lots of stuff for PARTICIPANTS (competition members) to do, but very little for the non-participating visitor.

   I would be interested in how the Kingsford thing really works...With the Disney-World sized crowds all over the place, one location of the type described would be buried in people seeking food!  We won't do another MIM visit as we were sorely disappointed in the arrangements for the casual visitor.

I'm the head chef for a team in the MIM, if you are still wanting to come down and check out the Superbowl of Swine drop me a line...I'll let you in our booth and feed you some awesome Que.  And whatever else we throw on the cookers that day :-)
 
First let me state that the Memphis in May World Championship BBQ  Contest is an amazing sight to behold...

The sweet smell of hickory hangs thick in the air.  Booths (some 3 levels tall)  line the mile long park.  Over 100,000 people flock to this Mecca of BBQ every year to eat, drink, and worship at the altar of swine.

Now you will find people who trash this and other BBQ festivals because teams hold private parties and won't let them in...this is the truth, we do hold private parties and most of the time we won't let you in, but please give me a chance to explain WHY we don't (and CAN'T)  let people in to our booths...

The reason all of us teams do not provide food to festival goers are 3 fold...

1. Health codes prohibit us from distributing food and beverages to festival goers...We only can give things to our "invited guests"

2. We pay for this contest out of our own pockets...even the smallest Patio Porker team is probably spending 2 grand to enter and compete...some of the bigger teams can spend over 25-30 thousand dollars....My teammates and I throw in $300 each, so yes, it is our party.

3. We cannot accept money or sell anything to the general public - We WILL BE disquallified from the contest for doing so.  It is about winning to us, so please don't ask us to ruin our chance to win.

We as teams are truly sorry that people come every year expecting to be able to just walk in and eat whatever they want...and every year people actually yell at us, and I've even had some people become violent (I have been hit) because of the above rules. Please understand this, we plan and save our money for months to do these contests. We spend a week of our vacation time to set this up and take it down. We work very hard to compete and the parties that people are not "allowed in" are our celebrations with family and freinds...

NOW- If you do a little internet leg work you will find that in the months prior to the contest you have the ability to join many of the teams through their facebook and webpages.  

If you just want to attend the festival and not be on a team then you have many options -

1. Get on Facebook and the web and make friends with some teams

2. The Peoples Choice Contest - From 2-6pm on Thursday and Friday of the contest. $4 gets you 5 samples of BBQ which you vote on,  the winner is determined by the masses.

3. Cooker Caravan - This program is free and lets you tour team booths

*Thursday, May 14 and Friday, May 15
11:30 am - 3:30 pm
(last tour leaves at 3:30 pm)
*Saturday, May 16
10:30 am - 2:30 pm
(last tour leaves at 2:30)

Teams give you guided tours of their booths, and here's a little secret...a few of us will invite you back for the party :-)

Neil Gallagher
Pitmaster - Too Sauced To Pork BBQ