Sevierville’s seventh annual Bloomin’ Barbeque & Bluegrass will take place May 20 and 21.
This family-friendly event will once again bring barbeque cook teams from all over the United States to Sevierville to compete for $15,000 in cash and prizes and the title of Tennessee State Champion in the Bush’s Best TN State Championship Cook Off.
Rounding out the event is toe-tapping bluegrass music, incredible arts and crafts, kids’ games and the Mountain Soul Vocal Competition honoring Sevierville’s favorite hometown girl, Dolly Parton.
Friday night attendees can take a little time to visit with the barbeque cook teams you’ve seen on cable channels like the Food Network as they stroll through the “Que Zone.” Bringing a lawn chair is suggested for the free bluegrass concerts with rising stars and legends of the bluegrass genre. On Friday Jerry Butler, Blue Moon Rising, Jimbo Whaley and IIIrd Tyme Out will perform and on Saturday catch Mountain Ruckus, Larry Sparks, Junior Sisk, Balsam Range and Sam Bush will perform.
Saturday morning championship cook teams will turn in their competition meats. The winners will be announced at 4pm. During the competition the teams will cook an estimated 2,832 pounds of meat including 20 pounds of pulled pork, 24 pounds of brisket, 5 pounds of chicken and 10 pounds of ribs each. Winning teams will receive recognition in Chicken, Ribs, Pork and Brisket as well as specialty categories like “Anything Bush Beans”, “Anything Wampler’s Farm Sausage”, Sauce and Dessert.
An expanded Kids’ Zone and the Bluegrass Music Tent, sponsored in part by The Music Outlet, add fun and enrichment for the kids and families who attend Bloomin’ Barbeque & Bluegrass. The Kids’ Zone includes attractions like climbing walls, bounce houses and old-time toys while the Bluegrass Music Tent gives kids (and kids at heart) the chance to touch and play bluegrass instruments such as banjos, fiddles and more. Both of these attractions will be open until 9pm each day of the event.
A highlight of Bloomin’ Barbeque & Bluegrass is the 7th Annual Mountain Soul Vocal Competition Finals held on May 21. Finalists from around the nation will sing their hearts out for a chance to win prize money, a recording session in Nashville, Tennessee and a guitar autographed by Dolly Parton. This competition, the only one of its kind that festival organizers know of, honors the songwriting of Dolly Parton. Competitors, male and female, must sing a song written by Dolly Parton (there are over 3,000) and do so in their own style (rock, rap, country, bluegrass, swing, soul, etc.).
For more information about Bloomin’ Barbeque & Bluegrass, call (888) 889-7415 or visit us online at www.BloominBBQ.com.

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