Holy Smokes BBQ Festival
As a child of the South, food has always been more than just nourishment; it is culture. Both the preparation and eating of the meal have always offered moments of community. Whether it be evening meals with the family, Sunday afternoon dinners or barbecues in the backyard — food has always offered so much more than sustenance.
It is an opportunity for growth.
That sentiment was on full display this weekend when I attended the Holy Smokes Festival. The festival bought together pit masters from all over the country to support a great cause; raising money and awareness for Hogs for the Cause. This charitable organization aims to assist families in their battle against pediatric brain cancer. An amazing cause supported by amazing individuals.
Rasheed Philips reached out and asked me to document the event which took place at The Bend, an outdoor festival grounds in Charleston, South Carolina. We arrived late Friday evening to the sight of a trailer bed full of smokers, each large enough to cook an entire hog. The only light provided was a large generator powered stadium light and a tower of flames, a la Mad Max, used to produce coals for roasting. There were plenty of pit masters and crew members around, all working through the night to feed the crowds of people the next day.
Some of barbecue’s biggest names were front and center, cooking throughout the night. Names including Rodney Scott, Chris Lilly and THE Sam Jones were just a few.
Admittedly, I am not the most up-to-date on all things barbecue. Had I not had Rasheed to guide me, it would have been difficult to tell these pit masters were not just part of the team. Each one of these men worked as hard as the crew they employed. Fame, success and notoriety were secondary to ensuring the operation continued rolling through the night.
Commitment to their craft, customers and team was obviously their first priority.
Throughout the long evening, these pit masters rolled up their sleeves and got to work. Whether it was Rodney Scott helping cut hog wire and flip hogs or witnessing Sam Jones throw coals in the firebox, each of these pit masters were fully bought in. There was even a point where they treated us to stories of their times traveling the world. These stories served two purposes: entertain and enlighten.
Sam Jones summed it all up with a single sentence, which I am now paraphrasing due to my lack of sleep and bottle of Tall, Dark and Smokey: Respect everyone.
Listening to these stories, it was apparent these were hard working men of high moral character. Not only is Sam a pit master but also a volunteer fireman! Both Sam and Rodney told stories for nearly an hour, allowing their crews to rest and recoup for what was going to be an all-nighter in to the next day. Rasheed explained the next few hours would be critical for the team as the temperatures would drop. The next few hours would test the resolve of these teams.
As the hours ticked away the sun began to rise and so did the pit masters. Working on what little sleep they could catch Rodney Scott, Sam Jones and Chris Lilly continued to power through their respective cooks knowing the festival would kick off soon. Had I not been there, I would never have known they weren’t rested.
At 11:00AM, the festival gates opened and festival-goers began to filter in to the general admission area. As the event kicked off, every pit master was present to assist in serving and mingle with their fans. At one point, I was filming Rodney using a mop to baste a hog on the grill, only to see him at the fence mingling and taking selfies with festival-goers eager to see him up close and personal. Similarly, Rasheed went between assisting the teams and mingling with the attendees.
I continued to move through the cooking area, attempting to capture as much as I could. As I locked in on Sam Jones chopping up and seasoning pork, he noticed me and cut off a piece of crackling (pork skin).
“Here you go! You stuck it out with us last night and I appreciate it.”
In my head, I was just there to capture footage, but THE Sam Jones took notice of my presence and gave me a piece of his coveted park skin.
As I continued to work my way through the festival, I heard another voice:
“Here’s your shot!”
It was the great Chris Lilly, holding up two piece of chicken dipped in his famous Alabama white sauce! I snapped a few pictures, grabbed some a taste of the chicken and thanked him for his graciousness.
As the day began to come to a close, my mind was still in awe of what I had just experienced. Every pit master and crew member I met during my time at the festival was truly great. Not just in the food they prepared but in the character they displayed. The character of these men was truly humbling to me.
These men were dedicated.
These men built each other and their peers up.
These men continued to give back to their communities.
