Hog Happnin'

What is the location of the event if I use my GPS?
Cleveland County Fairgrounds in Shelby, North Carolina, 40 miles west of Charlotte, NC and 80 miles east of Asheville.
1751 E. Marion St
Shelby, NC 28152

If I need lodging, where can I stay?
Go to General Information on this website for local lodging.

When will cooker sites be marked and identified?
Sites are marked by noon on Thursday prior to the event. Team names are posted on each site.

When can I set up my equipment on my site?
Teams may set up on their site beginning Thursday afternoon. If you wish to camp Thursday night, you will need to make arrangements with the fair office (704-487-0651).

How about security?
Security is provided on Friday night and Saturday. If you leave equipment or vehicles unattended on the grounds, you do so at your own risk. We have not had a problem in the past but cannot be responsible for theft or vandalism.

Can I rent a camper site?
Camper sites are rented for two nights, Friday and Saturday. If you wish to come early or stay beyond Saturday, you must make arrangements with the fair office. See the team entry form for rates.

Do all camper sites have full hook-ups?
No, we have camper sites with camper electrical only (sites #200-230) and sites with both camper electrical and sewer (sites #300-325.) See the layout of the grounds.

Do you provide water on the sites?
Yes, a faucet will be available for each team. Teams need to provide their own hose. 100’ should be more than adequate.

How about electricity?
A 110-volt plug is provided for each site. For an extra charge, teams may sign up for camper sites which have one three-prong camper type outlet.

Can I use a burn barrel?
Yes, but you must note it on your entry form. Teams using burn barrels are located in sites #161-170. (See the layout of the grounds.) Burn barrels must be covered, and teams should be aware of ashes falling on neighboring teams.

Is there anything for breakfast?
Yes, biscuits and coffee will be available in the car show area beginning at 8:30 am Saturday. Also, the Kiwanis Club will be serving a pancake breakfast on the midway from 7-9 am Saturday.

When are the gates open to the public?
Friday evening at 5 pm gates will open to the public for our Taster’s Choice competition. Gates will reopen to the public from 9am until 4pm Saturday. All team vehicles must be inside team sites or off the grounds by 9 am.

Can I park my vehicle on my site?
Yes, in the back, please, and on your cook site only. Do not park elsewhere on the grounds since these spaces are used Friday night and Saturday for other events. Remember if you need to leave and re-enter the grounds before 4pm, please park outside the fence.

How much is the gate entry fee?
This year there is a $1.00 gate fee on Saturday 9:00 am until 4:00 pm. If you leave the grounds, you will need to have your hand stamped in order to return without having to repay. There is no gate charge for Friday evening events.

How about the car and cycle show?
Registration begins at 8:30 am Saturday, judging begins at noon, and the awards are given at the main stage at 3 pm.

What about the KCBS BBQ competition?
We expect approximately 60 teams from 10 or more states to be competing this year. There are four categories: BBQ chicken, BBQ ribs, BBQ pork and BBQ brisket. We also have an optional BBQ sauce category.

What are the rules for the competition?
We are sanctioned by the Kansas City BBQ Society and follow their rules. You may get a full copy of the KCBS rules from www.kcbs.us.

Who are the judges?
We use KCBS certified judges. Judges apply and are accepted based on experience and recent events judged. Judges are notified in late summer if they have been accepted.

What are the prizes for the KCBS competition?
Winners in each KCBS category as well as our grand and reserve champions receive a custom oak door and cash prizes are paid through 10 th place. See the prize money listed for this year on the BBQ teams’ page.

Can my team cook in the Friday night Taster’s Choice?
Yes, we are hosting a Taster’s Choice event which is open to the public. Friday evening, beginning at 6:30, the public is welcome to come and buy tickets which allow them to go to the cook sites of the teams participating in TC and sample some of their BBQ. This event benefits the American Red Cross. Please indicate on your entry for you’re interested in participating. We will contact you with details prior to the event.

How much are the tasting tickets?
Tickets are sold in packs of five for $10. Each ticket gets one sample from one team. The public can get five samples for $10. At the end of TC, teams redeem the tickets they have collected of $.75 each ticket. The Hog Happnin’ retains $.25 from each ticket.

How is the winner chosen?
For each pack of five tickets, tasters get one ballot. After tasting five samples, they cast their ballot for the team they like best. The team with the most ballots wins a custom Hog Happnin’ trophy.

What is the schedule of events?
Go to Schedule of Events under General Information.

Who is the BBQ competition coordinator if I have another question?
Jerry Gardner
Home number: 704-482-4202
Cell: 704-473-1352
Email: bbqcompetition@hoghappnin.com

Frequently Asked Questions about the ANYTHING BUT Contest

How much does it cost to enter Anything But?
$10 per entry

How many times can I enter?
As many times as you want; you can also enter more than one time in the same
category.

Who are the judges?
Board members and donors for Children’s’ Homes and volunteers for
Hog Happnin’

How many judges are on a team?
No more than six, maybe a few as three. It depends on the number
of entries.

Are the judges certified?
No, KCBS judges are not used, but our judges are very experienced eaters!

Can I sign up for Anything But on the day of the event?
Yes, it helps to know how many judges are needed if you sign up with your
entry form, but certainly we are happy to have you participate by signing up
on Friday when you arrive.

How are the entries scored?
Points are given for presentation, originality and taste.

What do others do for presentation?
Some teams have a table and chairs for the judges, some do not; some
teams use paper plates, some use china; some offer water or soda, some do
not but everyone talks to the judges – especially if there are interesting details
about the ingredients, the preparation or if the recipe has a “family history."

What can I win?
A trophy and $100 is given for first place in each category.

Frequently Asked Questions by BBQ JUDGES

Is the judging inside or outside?
Judging is inside Weathers Arena. See the site map for the location on General Information link. Restrooms are inside the judging area.

How do I apply to judge?
Those who have judged before will receive a card in summer, telling them the website is open for completing forms. However, anyone can apply to judge. Just complete the judging form here on this website. You will see that you will be listing contests you have judged so it is not recommended submitting this application too early when you haven’t even judged anything this year. We look for a diverse group of judges so get all of the experience you can. We do not just accept the first ones who apply.
You should complete the form and then Submit at the bottom.
You don’t need to send the form snail mail or fax it if you send it from the website. This new feature will save you stamp money and time!

When will I know if I’m selected as a judge?
We try to let judges know as soon as we can but usually by September. Since our contest is the first weekend in November, we don’t have many teams entering until October so we never know how many judges we’ll need until then. We realize some of you like to know earlier for travel plans or reservations, but we can’t guarantee 90 judges if we don’t know how many teams we’ll have.

What if I’m selected and find out I can’t come?
It’s VERY important that you let us know before the contest if your plans change. To a judging coordinator, there’s nothing more frustrating than having judges not come and not notify anyone. That makes for a hectic morning of the contest when alternates have to be found.
Our policy has been if you are selected and are a NO SHOW, your name is removed from our mailing list. We take it seriously that we reserve a spot for you at a judging table and you don’t come and don’t let us know that you can’t come.
Emergencies do happen, and we understand that. Just notify us beforehand that you can’t come. Email is fine since it’s checked daily many times. The cell number should be used only for the day-of emergency.

Can I bring a cooler and take my leftover food home? Can I get food from the “grazing table”?
We permit you to take home any food left from your samples at your table during the four turn-ins. Extras food in the turn-in boxes are used for our volunteers.

What are the times of the judging?
We observe the standard KCBS times: chicken 12:00, ribs 12:30, pork 1:00, brisket 1:30. There is an optional sauce category which we judge by those who wish to do so at 2:00. However, you may leave if you wish after the brisket judging.

What time do I need to arrive?
You should arrive and sign in 10:00-11:00. The KCBS reps will have a mandatory meeting at 11:00.

Can I judge the Anything But on Friday night?
Our charity the Children’s Homes of Cleveland County is in charge of this Friday night event. Margie Christopher, director of CHCC, supervises this with her board members and sponsors. We don’t select judges for this event but leave it to Margie and her judges.

When is the awards ceremony if I want to stay for that?
The awards ceremony is at 4 pm, and we encourage you to stay and support the teams.

If I need lodging, where can I stay?
Go to General Information on this website for local lodging.

What if I need to refresh my memory on judging rules?
Go to the KCBS website for the judging rules. www.kcbs.us .

Do I need to show that I am a current KCBS member?
YES! You must show proof of current membership at the sign in desk, or you may not be allowed to judge if there are current members who are walk-ins and willing to judge.

Will someone there sign my book to prove I judged?
Yes, one of the KCBS reps will sign books after the mandatory meeting at 11:00.

Who is the judging contact person if I have another question?
Joyce Gardner
Home number: 704-482-4202
Cell: 704-692-0735
Email: bbqjudging@hoghappnin.com