The inaugural MoCo Smoke Show will bring a full day of barbecue, competition and entertainment to downtown Wheaton on Saturday, October 17.
The free, family-friendly event will take place at the Wheaton Triangle, 2424 Reedie Dr, and feature pitmasters and BBQ teams competing alongside live music and entertainment, food trucks, local food vendors, marketplace vendors, children’s activities and community organizations.
At the center of the event will be a Kansas City Barbeque Society-sanctioned competition featuring Master Series and Backyard divisions. Teams will compete for a prize pool of more than $6,500.
Attendees will also have a chance to get involved through a People’s Choice tasting, with participating teams offering samples of their competition BBQ and guests voting for their favorite.
The MoCo Smoke Show is presented through a partnership between Kensington Juneteenth, Montgomery County and the Wheaton Urban District. Organizers said the event was inspired in part by the success of Kensington Juneteenth and the growing popularity of competitive barbecue events around the country.
“BBQ has always been about more than food—it’s about gathering, tradition, storytelling and community,” said Jamie Boston, founder of Kensington Juneteenth and the MoCo Smoke Show. “After seeing how Kensington Juneteenth brought people together, and inspired by the growing national excitement around BBQ culture, we wanted to create a new experience that captures that same spirit across Montgomery County.”
Beer, wine and spirits will also be available for guests 21 and older. General admission to the October 17 event is free. Registration remains open for Master Series and Backyard BBQ competitors, with opportunities also available for vendors, sponsors and volunteers.
