Sevierville’s sixth annual Bloomin’ Barbeque & Bluegrass will take place May 14-15, 2010. This family-friendly event will once again bring barbeque cook teams from all over the United States to Sevierville to compete for $15,000 in cash and prizes and the title of Tennessee State Champion. Rounding out the event is toe-tapping bluegrass music, incredible arts and crafts, kids’ games and the Mountain Soul Vocal Competition honoring Sevierville’s favorite hometown girl, Dolly Parton.

Take a little time to visit with the barbeque cook teams you’ve seen on cable channels like the Food Network as you stroll through the “Que Zone.” Altogether, the teams will cook an estimated 2,832 pounds of meat including 20 pounds of pulled pork, 24 pounds of brisket, 5 pounds of chicken and 10 pounds of ribs each. Winning teams will receive recognition in Chicken, Ribs, Pork and Brisket as well as specialty categories like “Anything Bush Beans”, “Anything Wampler’s Farm Sausage”, Sauce and Dessert.

Championship barbeque tastes best when eaten in a comfortable place with great music, so have a seat in the Eating Tent, which will feature a variety of shows throughout the event. Then make sure you bring a lawn chair or blanket for the free bluegrass concerts with rising stars and well known legends. Headliners for the 2010 event include Blue Highway, Tony Rice Unit, Audie Blaylock and The Dan Tyminski Band.

Other fun events include the Knoxville TVA Employees Credit Union Kids’ Que where children ages 6-16 cook chicken to win cash and trophies.

An expanded Kids’ Zone and the Bluegrass Music Tent, sponsored in part by The Music Outlet, add fun and enrichment for the kids and families who attend Bloomin’ Barbeque & Bluegrass. The Kids’ Zone includes attractions like climbing walls, bounce houses and old-time toys while the Bluegrass Music Tent gives kids (and kids at heart) the chance to touch and play bluegrass instruments such as banjos, fiddles and more (don’t worry, instructors will be on site to help). Both of these attractions will be open until 9pm each day of the event.

A highlight of Bloomin’ Barbeque & Bluegrass is the 6^th Annual Mountain Soul Vocal Competition Finals held on May 15. Finalists from around the nation will sing their hearts out for a chance to win prize money, a recording session in Nashville, Tennessee and a guitar autographed by Dolly Parton. This competition, the only one of its kind that festival organizers know of, honors the songwriting of Dolly Parton. Competitors, male and female, must sing a song written by Dolly Parton (there are over 3,000) and do so in their own style (rock, rap, country, bluegrass, swing, soul, etc.).

Admission and concerts are free. Those who are coming to town for the event are encouraged to stay at a Sevierville hotel for the best deals and to be close to the action. For a complete list of Sevierville hotels, go to www.VisitSevierville.com.

For more information about Bloomin’ Barbeque & Bluegrass, call (888) 889-7415 or visit us online at www.BloominBBQ.com.

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