Big Guns Coming to Town for a BBQ Showdown

The Real Squeal BBQ and Music Festival is coming back to Lyons this weekend and it’s bringing some big guns to town for a barbecue showdown. So get ready for some good eatin’, lots of toe tappin’ music, and a big dose of fun! The event, now in its 10th year, will be held in downtown Lyons on Friday, October 8, 9 a.m. until 10 p.m., and at Partin Park on Saturday, October 9, 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Admission and parking are free. The annual, two-day extravaganza that always draws a crowd of thousands from throughout the state will host professional and amateur cookoffs, live music and a street dance, a Cruise-In and Open Car Show, and a spectacular fireworks display. There will be plenty of rides and activities for kids, and a slew of vendors will sell a wide range of arts and crafts, food, and beverages.

Premiering at the festival this year are a Disc Golf Tournament at the new 18-hole course at Partin Park, a Music Showdown spotlighting local talent, and a rolling game trailer where festival-goers can hone their skills with X Box and Play Station.

On Saturday morning at Partin Park, the Professional BBQ contest gets underway with pro BBQ teams competing for $15,000 in prize money, points, trophies and Braggin’ Rights.

Some of the biggest names in BBQ will show up to compete in the Kansas City Barbecue Society (KCBS) and continued from page

Georgia State Championship- sanctioned contest. Cooking teams will compete in the four KCBS meat categories: chicken, pork, pork ribs and beef brisket. Cash awards will be presented for teams earning first through tenth places, and the Grand Champion will carry home a $2,500 award.

So far, 25 teams have signed up to compete in this year’s cookoff, including returning competitors from 2020 Choo Choo BBQ, Maya Jane BBQ Co., Quenut BBQ, and Cool Hand Que, plus a lot of new faces who will vie for top honors.

Friday Events

The Disc Golf competition will begin at the Partin Park’s new 18-hole disc golf course at 9 a.m. on Friday. The event will host groups of four to five who play through each hole of the course. After course completion, points will be tallied and cash awards will go to the winners. The event is for new and experienced players and participants are encouraged to bring their own discs. There will be a limited supply of discs at the site. Go to the festival web site and Facebook page for registration information.

Also on Friday at Partin Park is a Steak Cookoff Association (SCA) sanctioned contest where grillers will be competing for a first place payout of $1,000. The contest will also feature an “Anything With Pecans,” component where good cooks can compete with dishes featuring pecans for cash awards. For more information and to register, go to the festival web site or Facebook page. The competition is limited to 25 teams.

After strolling through downtown Lyons Friday where the vendors will be selling everything from tee shirts to snow cones, and where kids’ rides and the car cruise-in be staged, festival goers will be treated to the music of the DILLIGAF Country Band and the Ripleys, both known for their Southern Rock repetoire. The music and street dance start at 4 p.m.

The Backyard Barbecue Contest for amateur competitors will be held downtown Friday. This contest (not a GBC event) is open to individuals, teams, families or corporate groups and is strictly for fun and BBQ Braggin’ Rights. Teams will compete with chicken and pork dishes for a part of the total $1,350 in prize money. Returning for a rematch are the teams of Bad Habits BBQ and Backwoods BBQ, who will be facing off with several new contenders in 2021.

The festival is also hosting a BBQ Sauce Contest that solicits sauce entries from individuals and teams. Sauce samples are limited to three per entry and are due Friday at 7 p.m. at the Main Street Office downtown. To enter, see the festival web site or Facebook page.

Friday evening closes with a spectacular fireworks display downtown at 8:45 p.m.

Saturday Events

When festival-goers enter Partin Park Saturday morning, the aroma of barbecue will fill the air as the professional barbecue teams tend their smokers. Public tasting is not allowed, but dozens of vendors, including several cooking teams, will be selling BBQ and other foods and beverages throughout the day. Prizes in the various cookoff contests will be awarded at the park stage at 4 p.m. Also on Saturday at Partin Park, the Music Showdown (see related article in this edition) and the Arts and Crafts Show get underway at 9 a.m.

Other attractions at the park that open Saturday morning include the Quilt Show at the Dream House. Visitors can enjoy learning about quilting from the local quilting groups, Crafty Quilters and Needy Friends, and a quilt raffle will be held.

Children will be entertained at Carter’s Rock-NRides from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Tickets are $1 and activities cost $1-$3. At Kids Creative Play, children will enjoy building projects from kits provided by Lowe’s and other hands-on activities. The Real Squeal Open Car Show will be held from 9 until 11 a.m. with registration from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. and judging and awards at 2 p.m. The Cruise Out is at 3 p.m. (For more information, see the Car Show article in this edition.) At the Native American and Artifact Show at the Callaway Center, visitors can learn from the experts, including members of the Peach State Archaeology Society, and are encouraged to bring their own arrowheads, pottery sherds and tools for assistance with identification. A flint knapping demonstration will be ongoing throughout the day outside of the Callaway Center and festival goers can purchase modern reproductions of arrowheads, spear points and knives at this site. The park gates close at 5 p.m. No dogs, alcohol, motorized vehicles or golf carts will be allowed at the two-day event.

Real Squeal Beauty Pageant

The Real Squeal Pageant was held at Toombs County High School on October 2. Girls from 0 to 21 competed for the opportunity to be crowned and represent their title at the Real Squeal BBQ and Music Festival this weekend. Scholarships were also presented in the Miss and Teen categories. Other categories included Junior Miss, Young Miss, Little Miss, Tiny Miss, Teeny Miss and Baby Miss. Look for photos of the winners throughout the A section in this edition.

BABY MISS REAL SQUEAL — From left, Remi Grace Butler, 1st Runner-Up; Mary Catherine Jordan, Baby Miss Real Squeal, Prettiest Dress, Prettiest Smile and Most Beautiful; and Carlie Ann Long, 2nd Runner-Up.