By Christopher Quinn
The Atlanta Journal Constitution
May 13, 2007
Cherokee County wants to hog all the attention come Oct. 19 and 20. Fans of charcoal and ribs, hickory smoke and heat will arrive in Canton for the inaugural Cherokee County Pignic.
Organizers hope the competitive barbeque cook-off, sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbeque Society, will attract 40 dyed-in-the-sauce cooking teams vying for points that will get them into some of the big national competitions.
The event will also make a place at the end of the table for local non-profits. Jimmy Mayo of Holly Springs, a flame-tested grill jockey, proposed the cook-off as a way to raise money for charity. “Some [sanctioned contests] raise $6,000 to $8,000,” he said.
“Some of the big ones raise up to half a million. This is what got me excited – the potential.” The Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce will assemble a committee to figure out which charities to give the money to and how the applications will be reviewed.
Local aficionados of outdoor cooking will also have a chance to show off in an amateur contest. The two-day competition and its country fair attractions could draw as many as 15,000 people to Heritage Park along the banks of the Etowah River in Canton, Mayo hopes. The chamber is the primary sponsor and organizer.
“Jimmy approached us in June of ’06, looking for an opportunity to get involved in an activity for the county where the funding would be focused on not-for-profits,” said Pam Carnes, the chamber president.
Mayo, who runs a local insurance office, has experience as a cook in sanctioned cook-offs. Organizers plan booths, exhibits, food, music and activities.
Carnes said the chamber will also host a one-day training seminar for those interested in becoming judges for professional barbeque events. The training class will be Aug. 11. and costs $50.
There will be entry fees of about $125 for an amateur grilling team to $250 for the serious competitors. Winners will share about $10,000 in cash prizes. “That’s pretty good for a first-year contest,” Mayo said.