Escambia County High School will host the inaugural Atmore BBQ Competition and Festival on Sat., April 16, at Tom Byrne Park.

The festival, which has been approved as a state championship by the Alabama Bar-B-Q Association, is a fundraiser for the high school.

In addition to the backyard competition, there will be arts and crafts vendors displaying their work at the park.

“I invited you to join us for a fun day of arts, crafts and the best barbecue in the south,” ECHS Principal Dennis Fuqua said.

Entry fee for the barbecue teams is $75 and two cooked and pulled Boston butts. Vendor spaces, which will be 20-foot-by-30-foot for cooking teams, and 15-foot-by-15-foot for arts and craft vendors, are $25. Only 20 vendor booths are available.

All barbecue entries, which will be judged on chicken, ribs and butts, are judged using a blind turn in method. Teams will receive a turn-in box for each category at the evening cooks’ meeting on Fri., April 15, at 6.

Lunches will be available for $10, and all proceeds got to ECHS.

A grand champion, along with a reserve champion will be crowned. Additionally, first, second and third place awards will be given in each category.

For entry and vendor forms, contact ECHS at 1215 South Presley St., Atmore, AL 36502, or call 251-368-9181.