“Look behind me. See the outfield? We're going to see people barbecuing,” said Mark Conway, Emcee of the World Food Championships. “There's going to be some of the most dynamic pit masters in all of the world of barbecue lining that outfield, and there's going to be a country music concert that really is second to none.”

Food enthusiasts, barbecue aficionados, and fans of “A-list country music stars” will find themselves in barbecue bliss when the Southeastern BBQ Showdown comes to Columbia. While the exact date for the inaugural showdown is yet to be announced, they’re waiting on next year’s Fireflies schedule to be announced, anticipation is already building. What we do know: it will be sometime in June of 2024.

Hosted by Capital City/Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism Board (CCLMC), the group is capitalizing on the momentum of sending three local teams to the World Food Championship, hosting the Final Table Event, and Food and Travel naming Lake Murray Country as a “Top Southern Summer Destination.”

Mason was mum when asked about the exact date of the competition. | Photo by COLAtoday

“This two-day event held here at Segra Park will be the first 'Food Sport Competition Event' ever to be held in a sports complex in the United States,” said Miriam Atria, President and CEO of CCLMC. The Southeastern BBQ Showdown aims to showcase the best of the best in the national competitive barbecue scene, attracting both local enthusiasts and visitors.

With Columbia's recent successes in the culinary world, the timing is right to continue expanding Columbia’s place in the food competition scene.