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New signature event unites top pitmasters, local vendors, and live entertainment for an all-day barbeque celebration
Smoke, flavor, and competition are coming to downtown Wheaton with the debut of the MoCo Smoke Show, a new signature barbecue competition and community celebration taking place on Saturday, Oct. 17. The free event will take place from 11 a.m.–6 p.m. at 2424 Reedie Drive in downtown Wheaton and will take place rain or shine.
Presented by the MoCo Smoke Show BBQ Festival Team, Wheaton Urban District, and Montgomery County, this community event will bring barbecue culture to Wheaton, one of the County’s most vibrant and diverse food destinations.
The family-friendly event will transform the Wheaton Triangle into a full-day barbecue experience. Competition teams and pitmasters will fire up their smokers while attendees enjoy delicious food and drink, live entertainment, local marketplace vendors, family activities, and opportunities to explore the surrounding community.
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At the center of the MoCo Smoke Show is a Kansas City Barbeque Society-sanctioned (KCBS) competition featuring master series and backyard teams, with pitmasters and barbecue teams competing for a growing prize pool of over $6,500. Through a special “people’s choice” tasting, attendees can purchase tickets to sample competition barbecue from participating teams and cast their own votes for a crowd favorite.
“Wheaton is a community defined by its people, its culture, and its incredible food, and the MoCo Smoke Show is an exciting way to celebrate all three,” said County Council President Natali Fani-González. “This event creates a space for residents, entrepreneurs, and visitors to come together around a tradition that is rooted in craft, connection, and community. I’m proud to see an event of this scale take shape in Wheaton and to showcase the people and small businesses that make this community so distinctive.”
The event comes as competitive barbeque has grown into a national circuit and spectator culture, drawing pitmasters, judges, and enthusiasts to hundreds of sanctioned competitions each year. The MoCo Smoke Show brings that energy to Montgomery County, where its parking-lot-style format gives attendees a front-row seat to the craft, camaraderie, competition, and community that define barbecue culture.
“The MoCo Smoke Show is more than a barbecue competition — it’s the start of a new Montgomery County tradition,” said Jamie Boston, founder of The MoCo Smoke Show. “We’re bringing together KCBS-sanctioned barbecue, outstanding entertainment, local businesses, and community partners to create an experience that celebrates Wheaton while drawing barbecue fans, families, and visitors from across the DMV and beyond. Whether you’re a lifelong resident or visiting for the first time, the Smoke Show is designed to become a signature destination event for years to come — where neighbors become friends and lasting memories are made.”
Throughout the day, guests can also enjoy live music and entertainment, local food and drink, artisans and marketplace vendors, children’s activities, community organizations, and live barbecue competition action. The People’s Choice Competition will feature meats generously provided by local Maryland agricultural partners, highlighting the state’s strong farming and food community.
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Barbecue team registration is currently open for both master series and backyard competitors, with opportunities also available for vendors, sponsors, and volunteers. Competition space is limited.
For event information, registration, and updates, visit wheatonbbqfest.com.
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Read the original article at mcgov
