Well, it’s finally here. It’s Barbecue weekend here in tiny Lynchburg. RVs and barbecue rigs fill Wiseman Park. Vendors are setting up on the historic Lynchburg Square. In less than 24 hours, our tiny hamlet will swell to double its normal population as folks from the surrounding counties, state, and across the U.S. descend on Lynchburg for the 34th Annual Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational Barbecue or The Jack.

Despite your best efforts, you won’t be able to do everything over the next two days. So, we’ve put together a list of the things you must do on Friday and Saturday to enjoy a quintessential Barbecue weekend here in Lynchburg.

1 | The Parade of Teams on Friday — Yes, the majority of public activities surrounding The Jack happen on Saturday but there’s one Friday event that always stands out to us, the Parade of Teams around the historic Lynchburg Square. It’s giving Mardi Gras parade vibes as numerous teams throw out flags and favors. It’s always the unofficial kick off to Barbecue weekend. It will take place at 4:45 p.m. at the Lynchburg Square.

2 | The Homemade Cake & Pie Auction on Saturday | It’s a well-known fact to those who live in Lynchburg that a dedicated group of local historians work numerous volunteer hours to make sure not one drop of local history gets lost around here. The Moore County Historical Society has become an unofficial sister organization to the Moore County Archive. Their official Facebook page contains hundreds of photos, documents, and other relics that tell not only the story of the distillery but also the town of Lynchburg. You can support them in the most delicious way possible at the auction happening at the Duraflame Stage in Wiseman Park at 3 p.m.

3| Whiskey Smoked Whole Hog Cooking Demonstration | Everyone comes to Lynchburg with barbecue on their minds but teams competing for the $25,000 grand prize play it pretty close to the vest. You can’t really watch them cook. But if you head to Wiseman Park on Saturday around noon, you can watch Billy Terrell of Beached Pig BBQ cook a whole hog. The TN Meat Company will also be nearby with an exotics cooking demonstration. You might even get a sample. Look for them in Wiseman Park.

There will also be cooking demonstrations scattered throughout the day and the ever-popular Country Dog Contest at 11:30 a.m. Sign up will take place at 10 a.m. at the tennis courts in Wiseman Park. Don’t be surprises if a pig or goat or two enter. Tours of the Jack Daniel Distillery from the Visitor Center will also be available from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Barbecue judging starts at 11:30 a.m., and the awards ceremony will take place at 5 p.m.

Admission to the 36th Annual Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational Barbecue is a voluntary donation to the Moore County school system. To learn more, check out The Jack’s Facebook page for news and updates. Or stay tuned to The Lynchburg Times this week as we publish our annual Insider’s Guide to the Jack Daniel’s Barbecue. •

{The Lynchburg Times is the hometown newspaper of Lynchburg, Tennessee the home of The Jack Daniel Distillery. We get an up-close, insider view of news and events happening in The Holler. If you’ve visited, and would like to follow goings on here in Lynchburg until you return, give us a follow over on Facebook.}