Follow your nose and the pig signs off Route 50 to the Pork in the Park BBQ Festival at WinterPlace Park in Salisbury, MD on April 20-22, 2012. This family-friendly event, presented by Gateway Subaru, is the largest Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) Festival on the East Coast hosting 142 BBQ competitor teams and 35,000+ attendees last year! 

Competing teams will spend the weekend slicing, seasoning and sizzling pork, chicken and beef in hopes of earning a portion of the cash prizes and bragging rights on the KCBS BBQ Circuit. KCBS certified judges will have the difficult (yet delicious) job of selecting the best plates in several categories including whole hog, beef, chicken, pork, ribs, anything butt and special seafood and dessert categories. All competition elements must be cooked over a wood fire - no charcoal or gas allowed! 

The festival surrounding the competition features three days of entertainment and fun for the whole family for only $2 per person and kids under the age of 12 are admitted for free! All weekend, attendees can enjoy live entertainment and peruse a variety of goods from craft vendors. Kids will love the amusement park rides while adults can try their luck on the mechanical bull. And of course, there will be no shortage of delicious food! Enjoy pulled pork sandwiches, beef BBQ sandwiches and ribs - some cooked by competing teams themselves - and other tasty festival-style foods all weekend! A wide selection of beer and wine will also be available, including wine from Maryland’s Boordy Vineyards. 

The festival will also feature a variety of special events. Start the weekend off with the Froggy 99.9 Country Showdown on Friday night! On Saturday, Piglet’s Korner will provide free crafts and entertainment just for kids! The Mountaire Chickin’ Pickin’ Contest will also take place on Saturday, where this year’s best chicken picker will be crowned. Sunday’s events include the Second Annual Cornhole Tournament, the Third Annual Backyard BBQ Amateur Competition and new this year, the Maryland State BBQ Wing Competition. Festival attendees will have an opportunity to become the judges by casting their vote for the "People’s Choice Award" for best BBQ wings.

The Pork in the Park BBQ Festival is sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue Society and presented by Wicomico County Recreation, Parks & Tourism