Memphis’ newest barbecue cooking contest is part of a larger festival that will feature $250,000 in prize money, the ability to sample food and a Ferris wheel.

Forward Momentum, the Memphis group organizing the May 16-18 event at Tom Lee Park, has named the event “SmokeSlam: The World’s Ultimate BBQ Showdown.”

Details of the rival to the Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Contest to be held at the same time at Liberty Park were announced Thursday, Jan. 11.

Mempho gives new May music festival its name

The barbecue and food competition will share space with non-food attractions, including the Ferris wheel, a carousel, a marketplace area for businesses and live music all three nights of the event.

“Our event is called a festival because we aim to attract barbecue fans but also families, music lovers and young people from Memphis and beyond,” Mike Smith of Forward Momentum said in an email announcing SmokeSlam.

Forward Momentum says more than 100 interested teams have shown interest in being part of the event that will partner with Memphis BBQ Network to run the judging in three major categories – whole hog, ribs and pulled pork that account for $150,000 of the prize money.

Application registration opens online next week with a steering committee selecting the teams that will have space in Tom Lee Park.

There are seven other categories — dessert, bacon, duck, poultry, beef, seafood and wings — with winners there advancing to the World Food Championship competition this fall.

The charge for booths in the park range from $2,000 to $3,500, depending on the size and whether they are on the river side of the park or on Riverside Drive.

“We want to make sure that we have the best mix of competitors and that we design the space to take advantage of the amazing venue,” said Melzie Wilson of the event’s steering committee in a press release.

Mempho Presents, a division of Forward Momentum, announced the name for its new musical festival last month.

Riverbeat Music Festival will be held May 3-5 in Tom Lee Park. That’s traditionally been the date and location of the Beale Street Music Festival, which Memphis in May said in October would be “paused” for 2024.

Editor’s note: Kevin McEniry, a member of the board of Memphis Fourth Estate, the nonprofit that owns and operates The Daily Memphian, is founder and master producer of the Mempho Festival and Mempho Presents.