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Pork butt cooking competition: ‘People take barbecue seriously’

Posted at 7:04 PM, Jun 30, 2018
and last updated 2018-06-30 19:04:59-04

HOPEWELL, Va. -- Competitors from across Central Virginia brought their finest pork butts to Hopewell Saturday morning as thousands of people turned up to see the best of the best compete in the fifth annual Get Your Butts to Broadway competition.

Attendees get to sample the various pork butts and the vote for their favorites.

Organizers said the men and women cooking pork butts are very dedicated.

“Well, we learned real quick that people take barbecue very seriously,” Hopewell Downtown Partnership Executive Director Evan Kaufman said. “These competitors come out the night before and literally cook for 12, 14 hours to make sure that these pork butts are as good and ready as they can be for the people who come at 5 o’clock.”

The competition and accompanying festival is hosted by the Hopewell Downtown Partnership, which throws events like this to draw folks to downtown Hopewell to support local businesses.

Kaufman said new businesses are “changing the dynamic of the area” and making it a “vibrant, walkable downtown district.”