BBQ Fest Across the River Heats Up for Day Two with Competition, Crowd Favorites, and Big Winners

Clarksville, TN – The smoke rose high, and the excitement was even higher as the second day of BBQ Fest Across the River, hosted by Montgomery County Parks and Recreation, fired up on Saturday, October 11th, 2025.

“Today was our first-ever event at RichEllen Park, and it was a huge success. We hosted a barbecue fest across the river with 20 teams competing for cash prizes. We partnered with Hilltop Supermarket, F&M Bank, Wyatt Johnson, and the Tri County Sportsmen Association to bring this free event to the public,” stated Kara Zahn, Montgomery County Parks and Recreation events supervisor.

The action kicked off at 10:00am with the much-anticipated BBQ Competition and People’s Choice Tasting, where hungry attendees sampled mouthwatering dishes from competing teams before casting their votes for the best pitmasters.

“This was our first annual Across the River Barbecue Fest. Hilltop Supermarket, the Tri County Sportsmen Association, F&M Bank, and Wyatt Johnson GMC have all been a huge part of making this happen,” said Mike Jackson with Hilltop Supermarket. “We had 26 sponsors in total, and everyone on this side of the river really chipped in to make it possible. We truly appreciate all of their support.”

There was no shortage of entertainment for all ages. Food trucks lined the grounds, serving up sizzling festival favorites with lines that never stopped growing. Families flocked to the Family Fun Zone, complete with bounce houses, inflatable axe throwing, a Nerf gun range, and more. The Montgomery Central High School baseball team added to the excitement with a Home Run Derby, giving both kids and adults a chance to step up to the plate and swing for glory.

“We offered a free family zone, a People’s Choice competition where guests could buy a ticket to sample all the competitors’ barbecue, live music, and football on the big screens — a little something for everyone. Friday was very busy, and Saturday has been even busier. We’re proud to call this event a success and are already looking forward to doing it again next year,” Zahn said.

The atmosphere stayed electric as The 1980 band rocked the pavilion stage, while festival goers kept one eye on the nearby big screen streaming SEC football—a perfect blend of Southern barbecue and Saturday game-day tradition.

“The event went great! Montgomery County Parks and Recreation and the mayor mentioned last night that they were thrilled with the attendance. They’re excited, and we’re looking forward to making this an annual event,” Jackson stated.

And the Winners Are…

Josh Johnson with Jodi’s Cabinets, one of the judges for the BBQ Competition, shared his thoughts, “It was absolutely amazing. I’ll tell you what — I’ve already had my fill, but I can’t wait to dig into the leftovers tonight. For some of the categories, like chicken and pork, there was a clear winner in my opinion. But when it came to the brisket and ribs, that was tough — they were all really good.”

“I thought the competition was absolutely fantastic — great food and a good variety. Now I understand why people spend so much money doing what they do. The judging was tough because there were so many strong entries in each category. You really have to be precise when you’re judging,” said Coach Mike Hendricks.

Judging for the BBQ Competition began at 11:00am, starting with the Chicken category, which was won by CC Holy Smokers. In the Ribs category, RT Que took first place, while Big Orange Smokers claimed victory in the Pork division. CC Holy Smokers earned another win in the Brisket category, and Big James Kitchen captured the coveted People’s Choice Award. To top it all off, the Dessert Category was won by Killer B Backyard BBQ.

The excitement built even further as the Grand Champion of the 1st Annual BBQ Fest Across the River was announced — Big James Kitchen claimed the top honor. Big James Kitchen also earned the title of Trifecta Champion, awarded to the team with the most combined points from three regional competitions: the Dwayne Byard Memorial BBQ Cook Off, the BBQ Throw Down in Springfield, and BBQ Fest Across the River. CC Holy Smokers finished second in the Trifecta standings, followed by Big B Barbecue Company in third place.

“The win feels good. There’s a lot of tough competition in this area. We’ve always looked up to Big B and Big Orange, and now the kids are getting involved, too. James even did a little cutting class with them for this competition and helped them out, which was really cool to see. The competition’s pretty tough up here. I think next year we’re going to move into the Masters series, but we’ll still do events like this just for fun,” said Chris Eckert with Big James Kitchen.

“We really liked today’s event. It’s a great location—kind of hard to find when you’re coming off the highway since it’s tucked back in the woods, but once you’re here, it’s set up really well. We’ll definitely be back next year, and we’ll be heading back to the Hilltop Supermarket event as well,” Eckert stated.

“The competitors did an amazing job. We had some seasoned teams and some new participants this year, and everyone performed really well. This time, we awarded placements all the way through fifth place, plus the Trifecta winner. Six teams competed in all three events, and we’ll crown the overall winner from those,” Jackson stated.

Results

A Festival with Purpose

This smokin’ celebration was made possible thanks to the generous support of F&M Bank, Wyatt Johnson, Hilltop Supermarket & Pharmacy, Visit Clarksville, and Montgomery County Parks and Recreation—special thanks to all the other sponsors of this year’s event.

All proceeds benefited the Tri-County Sportsman’s Association, helping fund local youth and community programs.

“I want to sincerely thank everyone who came out and all of our sponsors. Every business on this side of town stepped up to support us. I also appreciate Montgomery Central High School — the baseball and football teams, cheerleaders, and dance team — as well as the Palmyra Fire Department for helping make this event possible. Thank you all!” Jackson said.

Already Looking Ahead

With overwhelming attendance and rave reviews, Montgomery County Parks and Recreation has confirmed that BBQ Fest Across the River will return next year.

So mark your calendars, sharpen your appetite, and get ready to sauce up for Round Two. You won’t want to miss the Second Annual BBQ Fest Across the River!

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