Lynchburg, Tennessee, is a tiny place. Normally, maybe 600 people live there. But for one weekend every October, that number explodes to over 40,000. Why? Because of a little thing locals call "The Jack." Specifically, the Jack Daniels barbecue competition.
It’s not just a cook-off. It’s basically the Super Bowl of the smoking world, and getting an invite is harder than getting a table at a Michelin-star restaurant on a Saturday night. Honestly, if you’re a pitmaster, this is the one you want on your trophy shelf.
What Actually Happens in the Hollow?
The event is officially known as the Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational Barbecue. It’s held in Wiseman Park, right there in the shadow of the distillery. The air gets thick. Not just with humidity, but with the smell of hickory, fruitwood, and thousands of pounds of meat hitting the grates.
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Most people think you can just sign up and pay an entry fee. Nope. You have to earn your way in. Domestic teams basically have to win a state championship that has at least 25 teams competing. Or, they win a massive contest with 50+ teams. Even then, your name goes into a "bung" (that’s a whiskey barrel plug, for the uninitiated) and they draw names. It’s a lottery. A high-stakes, smoky lottery.
In 2025, Kings BBQ from Jacksonville, Florida, took the top spot as Grand Champion. Ryan King, the pitmaster, walked away with $25,000. That’s a lot of brisket money. Boggs Hog BBQ took the Reserve Grand Champion title. It’s a fierce field. We’re talking 90+ teams from all over the world—Australia, Brazil, Switzerland—all descending on a town that doesn't even have a stoplight.
The Seven Deadly Categories
You aren't just cooking ribs and calling it a day. The "Jack" is a marathon. Teams have to turn in entries for seven different categories. It’s exhausting.
- Chicken: Usually thighs. Skin must be bite-through. No rubber allowed.
- Pork Ribs: St. Louis cut is the standard. It needs a "clean bone" bite.
- Pork Shoulder/Butts: This is where the overnight struggle happens. Pulled or chunked.
- Beef Brisket: The king of the categories. One bad slice and you’re done.
- Dessert: Believe it or not, these guys bake. High-end stuff, too.
- Cook’s Choice: This is the "wild card." International teams call it "Home Cookin’ from the Homeland."
- Jack Daniel’s Sauce: You have to use the whiskey. It’s the law of the land.
The sauce category is actually pretty interesting. Pitmasters get a free bottle of Old No. 7 in their swag bag. They have to turn in a sauce that highlights the whiskey without being "boozy." Judges look for viscosity—what they call "tenderness" in the sauce world. If it's too thin, it's a fail. If it’s like sludge, also a fail.
The Weird Traditions You’ll See
Walking through the competition area isn't like a normal festival. It’s part circus, part high-end culinary school. There’s something called "butt bowling." Exactly what it sounds like. There’s buck dancing. There’s a Country Dog Show. It’s pure, unadulterated Tennessee.
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One of the coolest/spookiest traditions is the "Spookiest Home in the Hollow" contest. Since the event is in October, teams decorate their sites like haunted houses. In 2025, WeQ4u and SmellaQue were among those winning awards for their setups. It’s not just about the meat; it’s about the vibe.
And then there's the number seven. Everything at the Jack revolves around it. Why? Because of Old No. 7, obviously. When teams turn in their meat for judging, they don't turn in six pieces like a standard KCBS (Kansas City Barbecue Society) event. They turn in seven. One for each judge, plus one for the "representative" look of the box. It’s a small detail, but if you forget that seventh rib, your dreams of a barrelhead trophy are basically toast.
How the Judging Works (It’s Stressful)
The judging is blind. The pitmasters have no idea who is eating their food, and the judges have no idea whose box they’re looking at. Certified KCBS judges sit in a quiet tent, focusing intensely. They judge based on three things: Appearance, Taste, and Tenderness.
Taste is the heaviest weighted factor. You could have the most beautiful ribs in the world, but if they taste like a salt lick, you’re getting a 2. On the other hand, if your brisket looks like a car tire but tastes like heaven, you might still have a shot.
Wait. There’s a catch.
Lynchburg is in Moore County. It’s a "moist" county—you can buy commemorative bottles at the distillery, but you can’t just walk around the square with a beer. The local sheriff, Tyler Hatfield, doesn’t mess around. If you’re caught with an open container outside the designated "safe zones" (usually the team’s private cook sites), you’re looking at a $200 fine. It’s a weird irony: one of the biggest whiskey-sponsored events in the world happens in a place where you can barely drink.
The 2024 and 2025 Standouts
If you’ve been following the circuit, you know names like Scuffletown Smokers. They won it all in 2024. Alby Ransom and his uncle Stan Metzger are legends. They volunteered at the event ten years ago and vowed to come back and win it. And they did. That’s the kind of "long game" people play to win the Jack Daniels barbecue competition.
Only one team has ever managed to go back-to-back: Heavy Smoke BBQ from Missouri. They did it in 2022 and 2023. That is statistically insane. Usually, the "Jack" is a different story every year because the conditions change. One year it’s 80 degrees and sunny (like it was in 2025), and the next year it’s a "monsoon" where judges have to huddle in tents to keep the brisket from getting waterlogged.
Why You Should Go (Even If You Don’t Cook)
It’s free. That’s the big one. Jack Daniel’s sponsors the whole thing, so there’s no gate fee for visitors. However, they do take donations for the Moore County School System. It’s a nice way to give back to the town that puts up with 40,000 strangers for a weekend.
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If you go, do these three things:
- Park at the High School: Don’t try to park on the square. You’ll get towed. Pay the $10 for the shuttle. It’s worth your sanity.
- Eat at Miss Mary Bobo’s: It’s a boarding house from 1867. You need a reservation months in advance. The fried chicken is life-changing.
- Check the "Cook’s Choice": This is where you see the international teams shine. You’ll see things like Brazilian barbecue or Italian twists on smoked meats that you just don't get at your local BBQ joint.
Actionable Next Steps for BBQ Fans
If you're serious about the Jack Daniels barbecue competition, whether as a spectator or an aspiring pro, here is what you need to do next.
- Check the 2026 Dates: It’s already set for October 9-10, 2026. Mark it. Lodging in Lynchburg fills up a year in advance. Look for Airbnbs in nearby Tullahoma or Shelbyville if you’re late to the party.
- Get Certified: If you want to be a judge, you can't just show up and eat. You have to be a certified KCBS judge. Look for a class near you. It usually takes one full day and a few hundred bucks, but then you’re eligible to be "called to the Jack."
- Follow the Qualifiers: If you’re a cook, your season starts August 1st and ends July 31st. You need that Grand Champion win at a sanctioned event to even get your name in the draw. Keep an eye on the American Royal and Memphis in May—those are the "automatic" tickets.
- Visit the Distillery: Since you're already there, take the "Angel's Share" tour. You get to taste the whiskey, and it gives you a much better appreciation for why this specific brand is so obsessed with the "slow and steady" method of both whiskey making and barbecue.
Lynchburg is a place where time sort of stops. But during the Jack, it’s a high-speed chase for the perfect rib. It’s loud, it’s smoky, and it’s arguably the best weekend in Tennessee. Just don’t forget that seventh piece of chicken. It’s the difference between a trophy and a long drive home.