Serving Barnwell County and it's neighbors since 1852
The awards were made by Bob Snead using equipment at the Palmetto Innovation Center.
A cornhole tournament was a popular event at the BBQ, Blues & Boos.
People taste one of 15 bbq vendors.
One of the BBQ chefs.
A temporary tattoo artist was a popular vendor.
The event included eight hours of live music.
Barnwell-based band Manley Way performs.
People sat in chairs to listen to live entertainment.
Clint Kirkland tastes one of the vendor's food.
Some BBQ vendors decorated for Halloween.
The event attracted children and adults alike.
Ed Lemon (a Barnwell native) and the Get Rights perform.
Margo Huggins enjoyed the event with her family.
Blues legend Mac Arnold was a highlight of the Friday evening performances.
The crowd applauds for Mac Arnold and Plate Full O'Blues.
Southern Palmetto Regional Chamber of Commerce Director Terri Smith chats with friends at the event.
Aisha Kenyetta of Good Trouble performs.
A couple dances to the music.
Children have fun in the kids area.
Barnwell attorneys Wil and Carson Alexander with one of the winners. The Alexander Law Firm was one of the event's sponsors.
State Farm agent Will Keel with one of the winners. Will Keel State Farm was one of the event's sponsors.
Barnwell native Sandra Devoe Bland (second from right) with one of the winners. She works for Savannah River Nuclear Solutions which was one of the event's sponsors.
Barbeque cookers from across the state loaded their trailers and stocked their smokers for Barnwell’s inaugural BBQ, Blues, & Boos event held at the Gail Reyes Center on Oct. 28 and Oct 29.
Aside from a barbeque showcase with free food from the cookers, a cornhole competition, and an array of beers to try, guests also enjoyed music from talented blues singers.
SC legends like Mac Arnold & Plate Full O’ Blues took the stage next to rising talent like 12-year-old local Rylan Thomas.
Over 500 people attended the South Carolina Barbecue Association sanctioned event in total. Roughly 100 of those attendees came from surrounding areas like Aiken, Augusta, and North Augusta, according to online ticket pre-sales.
One person even flew into the Barnwell Regional Airport just to be at BBQ, Blues, & Boos.
“It was kind of neat to see that a big chunk of folks were coming from outside of the county,” said Bob Snead, Director of Programming at the Palmetto Innovation Center, who put on the event in conjunction with the Southern Palmetto Regional Chamber and a handful of proud sponsors.
All proceeds from BBQ, Blues, & Boos will “go right back into the work that we're doing in the community here to grow businesses and create a thriving community here,” according to Snead.
“We're having a program that we're starting at the beginning of next year, Propel Business Lab, which is a 12-week business accelerator for emerging entrepreneurs,” said Snead. “Funds from this event will help support that.”
Snead aimed to make this event a regional attraction rather than a local event, and built upon the past Palmetto Pig Pickin’ run by Southern Palmetto Regional Chamber Director, Terri Smith, who played a major role in bringing BBQ, Blues, & Boos together.
“We had a big crop of folks who were coming to play cornhole,” said Snead.
The cornhole competition proved to be a success with 32 total players hailing from Barnwell and beyond. According to Snead, all are excited to compete again next year.
In the meantime until next year’s BBQ, Blues, & Boos, Snead plans to explore other barbeque events in the state to learn how to make year two even better.
Winners of each category were awarded with a monetary prize and a wooden trophy handmade by Snead at the Palmetto Innovation Center.
Butts 1st Place
Casual Smokers
Pitmaster: Jamie Mintz
Butts 2nd Place
Fallout BBQ
Pitmaster: Phillip Mason
Butts 3rd Place
Blazin’ Bullets Barbeque
Pitmaster: Ken Hilliard
Butts 4th Place
Monkey Bottom Boys
Pitmaster: George Ray
Butts 5th Place and People’s Choice
What A Pit BBQ
Pitmaster: Jerome Furnace
Ribs 1st Place:
Monkey Bottom Boys
Pitmaster: George Ray
Ribs 2nd Place
Blazin’ Bullets Barbeque
Pitmaster: Ken Hilliard
Ribs 3rd Place
Casual Smokers
Pitmaster: Jamie Mintz
Ribs 4th Place
Sadie Beth Barbeque Company
Pitmaster: Gage Blue
Anything Butt 1st Place
Casual Smokers
Pitmaster: Jamie Mintz
Anything Butt 2nd Place
Holt Brothers BBQ
Pitmaster: Justin Holt
Anything Butt 3rd Place
All Smoked Up
Pitmaster: Gary Taylor
