The Fire Ant Festival is in the books! Congratulations to Off the Chain on winning back to back Grand Champions, and Big Baer’s BBQ for winning Reserve Champion. We had 9 different teams making finals. Congratulations to all who walked.
Grand Champion: Off the Chain – (Cooking with Off the Chain -accepting the award Ewa Belcastro)
Reserve Champion: Big Baer’s BBQ
Loin Results: 1st Place-Off the Chain; 2nd Place- Union Street BBQ; 3rd Place- Pig-EEE-licious
Pork Results: 1st Place- Shark Bite BBQ; 2nd Place-Bad Rooster BBQ; 3rd Place- The Look and The Cook
Rib Results: 1st Place- Rustic Que; 2nd Place- Big Baer’s BBQ; 3rd Place Grills Gone Wild
Chicken Results: 1st Place- Flaming Hogs BBQ; 2nd Place- Off the Chain; 3rd Place- Bad Rooster
What a weekend at the Hawkinsville BBQ Cook-Off & Karaoke Contest! The Georgia BBQ Association rolled into the Harness Training Center ready to cook, laugh, and make memories—and that’s exactly what happened.
We may have only been five teams strong under the arena, but don’t let the numbers fool you… the flavor, camaraderie, and FUN were off the charts!
A huge shoutout to our host Aaron Colley for the hospitality and for inviting the GBA to enjoy the Arena! We are hoping to come back even stronger next year! If we do, you want to plan to be there!
And special appreciation to Brian Bond and Jim Dehne for keeping everything running smooth and steady all weekend long.
What a weekend! The weather was absolutely GLORIOUS and the Georgia Barbecue Association (GBA) was proud to be in Canton on October 11th for a weekend filled with fun, recognition, and purpose — all in support of our Veterans and the Veterans Suicide Prevention Program sponsored by our incredible hosts at American Legion Post 45.
We were especially honored to have a few local Veterans from Jim’s Program serving as Judges and Assistant Organizers — an inspiring reminder of what this event is all about.
Jim Lindenmayer led a phenomenal team that made for a fantastic weekend! A huge shout-out to Susan and Helen for their amazing work at the front tables — and to Brian Bond, Warren Abrams, Jim Dehne, Ewa & Jerry Belcastro for keeping everything running smoothly all day long.
The GBA continues to grow and develop, and that’s thanks to dedicated folks like these! A special thank-you to Jerry Belcastro for firing up multiple delicious pizzas Friday night for a horde of hungry BBQ lovers — with his talented Pizza Shig’n Sous Chef, Carrie East working hard by his side!
What an incredible showing — congratulations to all our teams and judges! The camaraderie, the competition, and the cause made this weekend truly special.
Jim has already texted to say he’s looking forward to next year — and so are we!
Reserve Champion: The Look and the Cook
Loin Finals: 1st Place Off The Chain BBQ; 2nd Place Grills Gone Wild; 3rd Place Flying B BBQ
Pulled Pork Finals: 1st Place Off The Chain BBQ; 2nd Place Big Daddy’s BBQ Pit; 3rd Place Scott’s Smoke Shack
Rib Finals: 1st Place Big Butts BBQ; 2nd Place Dad’s BBQ; 3rd Place Magnum P.I.G
THANK YOU to our 2025 Georgia BBQ Association TEAM of the YEAR Sponsors- A BETTER BUILT FENCE CO .& DEXTER MEAT CO
The Byron BBQ Fest is officially in the books, and what a wonderful weekend it was!
It was such a joy to see everyone who came out to participate — and especially to reconnect with teams who make this contest their one stop each year. That makes Byron extra special!
A heartfelt thank you to Selina Hall and the Byron Welcome Center for the fabulous hospitality at North Peach Park. We couldn’t have asked for a better setting.
Behind the scenes, Brian Bond and Ewa Belcastro kept the scoring running smoothly, while Edward Vesely stepped up as Assistant Rep, supporting Jerry Belcastro and Jim Dehne as they gained more experience as Rep Trainees. The teamwork made for a smooth and enjoyable weekend all around. Most of all, a big thank you to every single team who fired up their pits, braved the weekend, and made this contest such a fun and spirited event. Your dedication and passion for BBQ are what make gatherings like this so memorable.
Hogs for Housing is in the books! Congratulations to all who walked! Special congratulations to Pig-EEE-licous on the Grand and Leron’s BBQ on their triple final and double 600s, and Reserve!
Reserve Champion: Leron’s BBQ
Loin Results: 1st Place- The Look and The Cook, 2nd Place- Rescue Smokers, 3rd Place- Leron’s BBQ
