Pork In The Park, Towns In Tune This Weekend!
Pork in the Park is back this year and will take place on Friday, April 25 from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. and on Saturday, April 26 from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. The event will take place in Memorial Park and the surrounding downtown area.
Back this year is the Friday night portion of the event, allowing barbecue vendors to sell their product for an additional day.
As part of this year’s Friday night event, Towns in Tune will return, the SCETV filming for the culture exchange of Newberry and Bay Bulls, Newfoundland, Canada. While the group was visiting Newberry in late September 2024, Hurricane Helene quickly ended filming. Their official welcome will take place at 6 p.m. with the singing of the American and Canadian national anthems by Matt Hamilton and accompanied by Pierre Harris, director of music at Aveleigh Presbyterian Church.
Following the welcome, live music will begin downtown until 7:30 p.m. from The Millhands, a Columbia, SC bluegrass quintet. Della Mae will be performing inside the opera house at 8 p.m. that evening. This is a ticketed event, with tickets available at newberryoperahouse.com.
The Newberry Opera House will be selling beer and wine inside of the opera house this year on both Friday and Saturday. Devan Moore, tourism and events coordinator for the city said there would be an ID station on site, courtesy of the opera house and patrons should plan to have their ID with them if wishing to purchase alcohol.
A total of 19 teams are expected and will be downtown for Saturday’s competition and they range from locals to those traveling from as far away as Waxhaw, NC.
The three categories during this year’s event include Boston butt, chicken, and ribs. Sanctioned by the Southern Barbecue Network, the judges for the event are primarily looking for tenderness, texture, flavor and presentation.
The judges have been certified through a training process and attend many events similar to Pork in the Park.
Judging will take place at the Firehouse Conference Center. Awards will be given following the end of the competition at 3 p.m. with first, second and third place for each category as well as the grand champion and reserved grand champion. Winners will be announced in Memorial Park.
Food will be available for purchase from the 10 teams that are vending as well as competing. The other teams will be competition only, Moore said and will be in a separate area from those vending.
Cash is recommended for patrons purchasing food as not all vendors will accept cards, Moore said.
The event area encompasses Main Street from Nance to Caldwell Street, Boyce Street from Nance to Caldwell Streets, McKibben from Harrington to Main Streets and Caldwell from Boyce to Main Streets. On Saturday, April 26, the event area will be extended from Caldwell to College Streets.
Streets will be closed beginning at 8 a.m. on Friday, April 25 and will remain closed until 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 26.
The radical run obstacle course will be back again this year for children and can be found on Main Street (near the 1200 block). This year, the obstacle course will be available on both Friday and Saturday, Moore said.
An interactive map with all activities can be found by visiting the event’s website, www.newberryporkinthepark.com.
In addition to the smell of barbecue filling the streets of Newberry, there will also be live music in Memorial Park Saturday to Joshua Graham from 11 a.m. until 12 p.m. and Bluegrass Remedy from 12:30 p.m. until 3 p.m. when competition winners are announced.
While there will be tables and chairs set up in Memorial Park, visitors are encouraged to bring their own chairs to set up and listen to music.
The Newberry Arts Center will also be set up at 1200 Main Street during the event for their Empty Bowls project. Patrons can purchase a handmade, empty bowl for themselves or as a gift, with all proceeds donated to local food banks. The bowl serves as an invisible reminder that people go to bed hungry each night.
More information on Pork in the Park can be located online at www.newberryporkinthepark.com or by contacting the city’s Parks, Recreation and Tourism office at (803) 321-1015.
Pork in the Park is back this year and will take place on Friday, April 25 from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. and on Saturday, April 26 from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. The event will take place in Memorial Park and the surrounding downtown area.
Back this year is the Friday night portion of the event, allowing barbecue vendors to sell their product for an additional day.
As part of this year’s Friday night event, Towns in Tune will return, the SCETV filming for the culture exchange of Newberry and Bay Bulls, Newfoundland, Canada. While the group was visiting Newberry in late September 2024, Hurricane Helene quickly ended filming. Their official welcome will take place at 6 p.m. with the singing of the American and Canadian national anthems by Matt Hamilton and accompanied by Pierre Harris, director of music at Aveleigh Presbyterian Church.
Following the welcome, live music will begin downtown until 7:30 p.m. from The Millhands, a Columbia, SC bluegrass quintet. Della Mae will be performing inside the opera house at 8 p.m. that evening. This is a ticketed event, with tickets available at newberryoperahouse.com.
The Newberry Opera House will be selling beer and wine inside of the opera house this year on both Friday and Saturday. Devan Moore, tourism and events coordinator for the city said there would be an ID station on site, courtesy of the opera house and patrons should plan to have their ID with them if wishing to purchase alcohol.
A total of 19 teams are expected and will be downtown for Saturday’s competition and they range from locals to those traveling from as far away as Waxhaw, NC.
The three categories during this year’s event include Boston butt, chicken, and ribs. Sanctioned by the Southern Barbecue Network, the judges for the event are primarily looking for tenderness, texture, flavor and presentation.
The judges have been certified through a training process and attend many events similar to Pork in the Park.
Judging will take place at the Firehouse Conference Center. Awards will be given following the end of the competition at 3 p.m. with first, second and third place for each category as well as the grand champion and reserved grand champion. Winners will be announced in Memorial Park.
Food will be available for purchase from the 10 teams that are vending as well as competing. The other teams will be competition only, Moore said and will be in a separate area from those vending.
Cash is recommended for patrons purchasing food as not all vendors will accept cards, Moore said.
The event area encompasses Main Street from Nance to Caldwell Street, Boyce Street from Nance to Caldwell Streets, McKibben from Harrington to Main Streets and Caldwell from Boyce to Main Streets. On Saturday, April 26, the event area will be extended from Caldwell to College Streets.
Streets will be closed beginning at 8 a.m. on Friday, April 25 and will remain closed until 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 26.
The radical run obstacle course will be back again this year for children and can be found on Main Street (near the 1200 block). This year, the obstacle course will be available on both Friday and Saturday, Moore said.
An interactive map with all activities can be found by visiting the event’s website, www.newberryporkinthepark.com.
In addition to the smell of barbecue filling the streets of Newberry, there will also be live music in Memorial Park Saturday to Joshua Graham from 11 a.m. until 12 p.m. and Bluegrass Remedy from 12:30 p.m. until 3 p.m. when competition winners are announced.
While there will be tables and chairs set up in Memorial Park, visitors are encouraged to bring their own chairs to set up and listen to music.
The Newberry Arts Center will also be set up at 1200 Main Street during the event for their Empty Bowls project. Patrons can purchase a handmade, empty bowl for themselves or as a gift, with all proceeds donated to local food banks. The bowl serves as an invisible reminder that people go to bed hungry each night.
More information on Pork in the Park can be located online at www.newberryporkinthepark.com or by contacting the city’s Parks, Recreation and Tourism office at (803) 321-1015.
