The World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest (WCBCC) features four days of competition and live entertainment. Gates open at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, May 14; 11 a.m. on Thursday, May 15; noon on Friday, May 16; and 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 17 (Judging Day).

Ticket Highlights:

• General Admission: $22/day or $65 for a 4-day pass 
• Parking: $18/day; 4-day combo with admission: $95 
• Add-Ons: Kingsford Tour of Champions ($33) and BBQ Alley ($28) 

Money-Saving Combos -- you can now bundle add your admission with experiences! 

• Tour of Champions + Admission: $42 (Save $13) 
• BBQ Alley + Admission: $37 (Save $13) 
• Single Day + Parking: $30

VIP Experience: 

VIPit Pass: $595 (plus $100 for VIP parking) Includes: 

• A fully hosted daily itinerary 
• Private VIP area with air-conditioned restrooms 
• Daily food & drinks 
• Exclusive team meet-and-greets 
• Cooking demos (with tastings!) 
• Judging class + behind-the-scenes access to Blind Judging 
• VIP-only surprises and commemorative merch 
• Meet BBQ legends like Myron Mixon, Tuffy Stone, Moe Cason, and Heath Riles 

All tickets can be purchased here.

And yes, there are two major barbecue festivals happening the same weekend. If you're interested in comparing the two, check out our SmokeSlam guide. Support both or one–we're not here to pit (pun-intended) them against each other but rather lay out the overview of both events to help you decide what's more appealing for you. 

The WCBCC isn't a free-for-all eatin' ribs situation. Think of it as a big group of private parties all next to one another. It's not a festival where anyone can buy food from the teams. In fact, they aren't allowed to sell it at all. For WCBCC, if you go there without a team invite or purchasing an add-on experience or VIP ticket, expect to see the competition happening but not the competition barbecue. There are on-site vendors you can purchase from.

Do not despair, though— there are a few options to get to try some good BBQ! 

There are add-ons you can purchase in addition to your general admission tickets, BBQ Alley and Kingsford Tour of Champions, that are available once you select your admission ticket and tap “Checkout Now." Both have limited amount of tickets available. As stated earlier, you can now bundle your tickets making it a much better bang for your bbq-buck!

BBQ Alley by Big Green Egg & Friends

This is a tasting experience featuring four top barbecue restaurants and pitmasters like Mel Chmilar and CMac, serving up ribs, pulled pork, brisket, and more alongside sides and tunes from DJ MadEFX. Tickets are $28  with limited spots available per session.

Kingsford Tour of Champions 

Gives you the chance to judge and sample barbecue and listen to teams explain their craft. Each tour will last approximately an hour and a half. Tickets are $33.

WCBCC has traditional events to not miss like sauce wrestling on opening night and the Ms. Piggie Idol Contest on Thursday night. Don't miss demos from the best in bbq either. This page breaks down all the additional fun there is to be had on one flyer. Here are some highlights:

Wednesday (May 14):

• Lighting of the Grill ceremony at 5:30 with world champions: The Shed BBQ
• South Korean welcome and Guinness Book of World Records Presentation
• Sauce wrestling at 6 p.m.
• Special opening night ticket special for $25 (bbq alley + admission combo!)

Thursday (May 15):

• Ms. Piggie Idol at 6 p.m.
• Entertainment by Lil Wyte and Justin Time at 8 p.m.
• Chef vs. Chef: Flava–bacon cookoff at 3 p.m. and cocktail mixology at 5 p.m.

Friday (May 16):

• Awards Ceremony at 7 p.m.
• The Bar-Kays at 8:30 p.m.
• Chef vs. Chef: Flava–cocktail mixology at 3 p.m., chef's choice at 5 p.m.

Saturday (May 17):

• Rib Rumble at 6:30 p.m.
• Awards ceremony at 7 p.m.
• Chef vs. Chef: Flava–vegetarian at noon, sandwich at 2 p.m., and blind basket at 4 p.m.

To say the teams are excited is an enormous understatement. They’ve been planning their tent setup for months and getting ready to cook recipes they’ve been perfecting all year…or maybe for decades.

In additional to elaborate multi-level “tents”, tantalizing smells, hilarious entertainment, and honestly, some of the wildest partying I’ve ever seen, this is a damn serious cooking competition with world-class winners and judges.