The 13th annual Plant City Pig Jam will be cooking Friday, Nov. 20, and Saturday, Nov. 21, at the Randy Larson Four-Plex on South Park Road in Plant City.
Suncoast Credit Union is this year’s title sponsor. The two-day event has more than 60 professional and amateur teams competing for over $16,450 in cash prizes, including a $3,000 Grand Champion Award, a $2,000 Reserve Champion Award and cash prizes through 10th place in each of the four food categories: barbecue ribs, barbecue pork, beef brisket and chicken.
“Pig Jam not only brings the community together, but it also supports programs that are making positive changes, and that’s what we’re all about at Suncoast,” Mary McDonald, community relations director at Suncoast Credit Union, said. “This is a wonderful chance to celebrate Plant City and its strong traditions.”
To give more families the opportunity to take part in Pig Jam, Suncoast will be providing gift bags to students from five Title I schools, including Burney, Dover, Jackson, Trapnell and Wilson elementary schools. The gift bags will include Pig Jam certificates for $60, which will cover parking, food for a family of four and playtime in the play area.
The event is open to the public beginning at 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 20. It will close at 10 p.m. and reopen at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 21. Admission is free and parking is $5.
Friday festivities will include a live performance by the Clemons Road band from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., food vendors and activities for kids. Competing teams will also be available to speak to the public.
On Saturday, the formal competition begins at 10 a.m. and ends at 5 p.m. with an award presentation at 5:30 p.m. Competing teams will be selling samples of their barbecue throughout the day. Guests will also be able to enjoy four live bands from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., food vendors, face painting, a rock climbing wall, moon walks, a bungee jump and additional activities for kids and adults.
“Pig Jam is not only a festive event for the whole family, but also a way to showcase our community to those who have not been here before,” Marion Smith, president of the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce, said. “People who visit once and see what we have to offer tend to come back. We appreciate our community’s support of this event, which ultimately strengthens our many other programs as well.”
Last year the estimated attendance was 15,000 people and proceeds from the event benefited the chamber’s Scholarship Fund and other chamber programs.
Pig Jam will be take place at the Randy Larson Four-Plex, 1500 South Park Road.