Smoke on the Water takes over Washington waterfront

Published 7:24 pm Thursday, October 19, 2017

The waterfront will be transformed Friday night as the town’s annual barbecue festival takes over Stewart Parkway.

Smoke on the Water begins Friday evening with pig cookers from across the state descending on waterfront to set up and decorate tents where whole hogs will be roasted overnight. Twelve traditional wood cookers will be vying for the state barbecue championship; another 15 will be cooking over gas and competing for top SOTW honors.

Saturday, barbecue judging begins at 8 a.m.; the 20-plus entries into this year’s chili competition will be judged at 10 a.m. Throughout the day, live music will be heard at Festival Park, and more than 50 vendors will be set up along Stewart Parkway, according to Pam Anderson, Washington (noon) Rotary member and coordinator of the event.

“The newest, most exciting thing is that (Arts of the Pamlico) provided a blues and jazz festival for the music for barbecue festival this year,” Anderson said.

Washington (noon) Rotary organizes the event each year and uses the proceeds to benefit area nonprofits throughout the year. Rotary donates to causes such as Ruth’s House domestic violence shelter, Zion Shelter and Kitchen for the homeless and those in need of a free meal, Eagle’s Wings food pantry, Arts of the Pamlico, Boys & Girls Club of Beaufort County and many more.

“We’re looking forward to seeing how much it helps all the nonprofits in our county,” Anderson said.

Anderson encouraged people to visit the one-day festival from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. More information can be found in the Smoke on the Water section found in Friday’s issue of the Washington Daily News or by visiting smokeonthewater.info.