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Cooks & Judges

The 10th Annual DuPont BBQ Cookoff is coming August 27–29, 2027!

Whether you’re competing for championship honors or helping select the winners, everything you need for an unforgettable weekend starts here.

 

 

Ready for the Best KCBS Cookoff of the Year? DuPont 2027!

Join us August 27–29, 2027, for the 10th Annual DuPont BBQ Cookoff! Championship pitmasters, great competition, and a weekend of BBQ camaraderie await.

KCBS Judges — We Want You!

Certified KCBS judges, scroll down to discover why DuPont 2027 is one competition you won’t want to miss!

$20,000 in Prize Money — Four-Meat KCBS Competition

$1,500 Saturday Mystery Ancillary Competition – We’re still counting the votes! What will this year’s ancillary competition be? Stay tuned for the big reveal.

More Than Just Competition!

Enjoy our traditional cooks’ potluck, the Jack Shot, and the opportunity to reconnect with old friends and make new ones.

Ready to Compete?

Registration information and the 2027 Team Application are just below.

THE JACK SHOT

A DuPont BBQ tradition! Before the competition gets underway, our pitmasters gather for the ceremonial Jack Shot — a toast to good barbecue, good friends, and to wish one another great success in the competition ahead. Much like the handshake before any competition begins, it’s a moment of friendship and good sportsmanship before the serious cooking starts.

KCBS Judges — Come Experience DuPont!

Great BBQ. Great Friends. One Unforgettable Weekend!

Judges, we want you in DuPont for our 10th Annual BBQ Cookoff, August 27–29, 2027! We’re rolling out the welcome mat with a weekend of championship barbecue, great hospitality, and plenty of opportunities to enjoy the company of the cooks and fellow judges.

Here’s what makes DuPont special:

  • Stay Close to the Action! Enjoy discounted hotel accommodations within walking distance of Clocktower Park.

  • Friday Night Banquet! Join us for an outstanding brisket and pulled pork dinner, with a special 50% discount for judges and their spouses or traveling companions.

  • Saturday Mystery Ancillary! Join us to judge a competition you won’t find anywhere else. We’ll reveal the mystery before you arrive!

  • Saturday Night Potluck! Spend the evening with our pitmasters. No need to bring anything—our cooks are anxious to get to know you! (Sorry, bribes aren’t allowed!)

  • Sunday Championship Judging! Help select the winners in our KCBS-sanctioned four-meat competition.

  • After the Judging! Relax with a complimentary cold beverage in our beer garden, enjoy live music, and celebrate another great weekend of barbecue.

Come for the competition. Stay for the camaraderie. Discover why DuPont is a favorite stop on the BBQ circuit!

KCBS judge registration information will be available soon.

2026 DuPont BBQ Competition Results

Congratulations to all of our 2026 competitors!

Thank you to the outstanding pitmasters who joined us in DuPont for another great weekend of competition. View the complete official KCBS results, including the Main Contest and ancillary competitions

2026 Competing Pitmasters

Meet the teams bringing competition-level BBQ to DuPont for the 9th Annual DuPont BBQ Cookoff. 

BBQ Aloha
Blues Q BBQ & Catering
Bucket List BBQ
Daddy & Me BBQ
DND BBQ
Fourhorn Smokehouse
Hokus Smokus
J&C BBQ
Lake House BBQ
Marcoe’s Blackjack BBQ
Moose & Gator BBQ
Mr. Green’s Q
Old Dirty Basters

RJ’s Smokehouse
Rob’s Smokin’ and Grillin’ BBQ
Rusty’s BBQ
Slow Porkin’
Small Axe BBQ
Smokin’ O’s
Smokin’ Pigs
Smokin’ Timbers Northwest
Team Best Damn BBQ Sauce
The BBQ ICU
The Rib Mafia
Tim Tom’s BBQ
Vitamin Q BBQ
Whipps BBQ

BBQ Ribs on a grill

World Class Event

The DuPont BBQ Cookoff is a nationally recognized competition sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS). Pitmasters come to DuPont to compete for a chance to qualify for the biggest invitational BBQ competition in the world — The Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational Barbecue.

You can’t get better BBQ anywhere else. You can be part of it!