CRESTVIEW — Now that the Williford family has its third People's Choice trophy, The Little Smokehouse proprietors have their eyes on the 2016 Triple B Cookoff.
“People's Choice, that’s what we go for,” Kendall Williford said. She and her mother, Sandy, distributed samples of their award-winning oak-smoked brisket wrapped in bacon during Saturday's Blackwater, Bluegrass and Barbecue festival.
David Hobbs and his son, Austin, visiting from Niceville, were among those who voted for the family’s fare. “It’s interesting,” he said. “It’s different. Everyone else had Boston butt."
People strolled up and down Main Street under breezy, sunny skies, sampling barbecue and American festival cuisine.
“It all (smelled) so good,” Feliciano Dina said.
RECORD CROWDS
The event’s attendance easily topped last year’s 12,000, Crestview Area Chamber of Commerce President Wayne Harris said.
“I’m seeing 13- to 15,000 this year,” he said. “The crowds were really good. It was so packed, I couldn’t drive the (golf) cart through. I finally had to park and walk.”
While freshly smoked barbecue's aroma wafted blocks beyond the downtown area, vendors and exhibitors offered diverse cuisine and activities.
At Gordon Martial Arts’ exhibit, Brandon Mobley, 11, took a practice kick at a pad held by third-degree taekwondo black belt Richard Rounsaville, 19. Caitlin LaGarde, 9, practiced punches on a pad held head-high by blue belt JayLee Spicer, 13.
SELL-OUT EVENT
Up Main Street, Andrew Moore, a homeschooled Crestview 14-year-old, eagerly stroked the back of a 2- to 3-year-old alligator held by Capt. Matt Hepinstall at the U.S. Army Rangers’ reptile exhibit.
“I’m a Florida Gators fan,” Andrew said. “I had to touch it.”
The combination of favorable weather and great food made the day a success for the chamber of commerce and its participants, Harris said. The total revenue was not available as of this writing.
“Most of the vendors who had food or had something to sell maxed out,” Harris said. “Most of the barbecuers who were selling, sold out.
“I heard nothing but good things. Everybody did very, very, very well. We had a very good day.”
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THE WINNERS
This year’s Blackwater, Bluegrass and Barbecue Cookoff winners are:
•Grand Champion: Poverty Hill Smokers, DeFuniak Springs
•Reserve Champion: Hub City Smokehouse, Crestview
•People's Choice: The Little Smokehouse, Florala, Ala.
Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Triple B crowds could top 15,000 on final count