WELCH, WV (WVNS) — Get ready for some fun and to eat some BBQ at an upcoming event in Welch!

From June 9, 2023 to June 10, 2023, the third annual WV Coalfields Cookoff will be held at Martha H. Moore Riverfront Park, 141 McDowell Street.

This event is hosted by the City of Welch and CoalTown, USA and will feature the WV State BBQ Championships, sanctioned by the Kansas City BBQ Society, for pro and backyard BBQ cook teams. Other activities include, live music, vendors, family activities, a beer garden, a BBQ tasting, and an ATV show and contests.

“It’s great for the community in so many ways. Number one, you know, sometimes in our own backyard we’re not the best tourists, so it’s a great time to get out and find all the beautiful things about McDowell county as well as the city of Welch. But additionally, it’s really important from a tourism perspective because it offers so many economic impacts for the area. Tourism is a great revenue driver and you know we all struggle with bringing revenue to our communities, so it helps our businesses and helps our city grow tax revenue as well,” said Andrea Ball, the Event Planner for the City of Welch and the WV Coalfields Cookoff.

Highlights include: 

  • Live music by The Legacy: Motown Revue on Friday and Last Chance Band
  • Beer garden with proceeds benefiting the Welch Volunteer Fire Department 
  • Pancake breakfast hosted by the McDowell Chamber of Commerce
  • ATV show and contests
  • Organ dedication at the Pocahontas Theatre in honor of the late Jason Grubb
  • Public BBQ tasting
  • Contest and BBQ awards

Pro teams include:

  • Bayou Poker Smokers
  • Beef Pigs BBQ
  • D’Qued Barbecue (WV)
  • Good Googly Goo BBQ
  • High on the Hog
  • Hold Your Horses BBQ
  • Mad Dog BBQ
  • Midlife BBQ
  • Muttley Crew BBQ
  • Off the Rack BBQ
  • One Eyed Pig BBQ
  • Poor Boys BBQ (WV)
  • ShawnBo’s BBQ (WV)
  • Smokecraft, Smoking Aces BBQ
  • Still Workin’ On It BBQ
  • Swig-N-Pig
  • Under the Radar

Backyard teams include:

  • Bourbon & Blues BBQ
  • Buckeye Blue Smoke BBQ
  • Conviction BBQ
  • Dog Bite Barbecue (WV)
  • Dogpatch Q
  • Gold-N-Blue Barbecue (WV)
  • Grate Mate BBQ
  • Pinky Out BBQ
  • Que N Cue BBQ
  • Swine ’N’ Roses BBQ
  • T & S BBQ (WV)
  • The Swine Doctor’s BBQ
  • Uncle Dubby’s Backyard BBQ

The event is open and free to the public. For updates and a complete schedule, please visit www.wvcoalfieldscookoff.com/schedule-of-events.