Sevierville Bloomin’ BBQ & Bluegrass Event Schedule

Sevierville’s eleventh annual Bloomin’ BBQ & Bluegrass will take place May 15-16, 2015. This family-friendly event will once again bring barbeque cook teams from all over the United States to Sevierville to compete for $17,500 in cash and prizes and the title of Tennessee State Champion in the Bush’s Best TN State Championship Cook Off. Rounding out the event is toe-tapping bluegrass music, incredible arts and crafts, kids’ games and the Mountain Soul Vocal Competition honoring Sevierville’s favorite hometown girl, Dolly Parton.

Event-goers can meet barbeque cook teams made famous on cable channels like the Food Network as they stroll through the “Que Zone.” Then make sure you bring a lawn chair to catch more than 40 live shows on five stages.

Pickers and singers alike will enjoy the Late Night Jam presented by Dixie Stampede on Friday evening from 10 p.m. until 2 a.m. at Courthouse Donuts in the heart of the festival. Bring your instruments and jam alongside world banjo picking champion Gary “Biscuit” Davis.

On Saturday, the competition starts early. Watch as championship cook teams turn in their competition meats. Then stay for the announcement of BBQ champs at 4 p.m. During the competition the teams will cook an estimated 2,832 pounds of meat including 20 pounds of pulled pork, 24 pounds of brisket, 5 pounds of chicken and 10 pounds of ribs each. Winning teams will receive recognition in Chicken, Ribs, Pork and Brisket as well as specialty categories like “Anything Bush Beans”, “Anything Swaggerty’s Farm Sausage”, Sauce and Dessert.

The Sevier Air Kids’ Zone and the Bluegrass Music Tent add fun and enrichment for the kids and families who attend Bloomin’ Barbeque & Bluegrass. The Sevier Air Kids’ Zone includes attractions like bounce houses, face painters and old-time toys while the Bluegrass Music Tent gives kids (and kids at heart) the chance to touch and play bluegrass instruments such as banjos, fiddles and more (don’t worry, instructors will be on site to help). Both of these attractions will be open until 9 p.m. each day of the event.

One highlight of Bloomin’ BBQ & Bluegrass is the 11^th Annual Mountain Soul Vocal Competition Finals held on May 16. Thirty finalists from around the nation will sing their hearts out for a chance to win prize money, a recording session in Nashville, Tennessee and a guitar autographed by Dolly Parton. This competition, the only one of its kind that festival organizers know of, honors the songwriting of Dolly Parton. Competitors, male and female, must sing a song written by Dolly Parton (there are over 3,000) and do so in their own style (rock, rap, country, bluegrass, swing, soul, etc.).

Another event highlight will be an appearance from Mary McDonough who starred as Erin on the award winning television series, The Waltons, for nine years. She will be signing autographed copies of her new book, “One Year” on Friday May 15 from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. and on Saturday May 16 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. She is also the author of the memoir Lessons from the Mountain: What I Learned from Erin Walton.

The KaTom People’s Choice Tasting Contest is a new element to the event that gives festival-goers a chance to weigh in on their favorite competition meat. Guests can purchase tickets for $10 in advance by calling the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce at 453-6411 or at the festival. The KaTom People’s Choice Tasting Contest takes place between 2:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. on Saturday May 16 and allows event-goers to sample and vote for their favorite championship pulled pork from participating teams.

Admission and concerts are free thanks to great sponsors, including the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce which encourages you to stay in Sevierville while visiting Bloomin’ BBQ & Bluegrass. For great lodging deals and more information about Bloomin’ Barbeque & Bluegrass, call (888) 889-7415 or visit us online at www.BloominBBQ.com.

Bloomin’ BBQ & Bluegrass Show Schedule

MAIN STAGE

Friday May 15

5 p.m. Dixieghost

6 p.m. Jimbo Whaley & Greenbrier

7 p.m. Darrell Webb Band

8 p.m. Lonesome River Band

Saturday May 16

10 a.m. Elizabeth Williams School of Dance

10:35 a.m. 3D Dance & Fitness

11:10 a.m. Move Dance Factory

Noon Fiddlin’ Carson Peters

1 p.m. Mountain Ruckus presented by Dixie Stampede

2 p.m. Johnny Staats & The Delivery Boys

3 p.m. Flatt Lonesome

4 p.m. Sierra Hull

5 p.m. Johnny Staats & The Delivery Boys

6 p.m. Flatt Lonesome

7 p.m. Sierra Hull

8 p.m. Steep Canyon Rangers

 

HARD ROCK CAFÉ COMMUNITY STAGE

Friday May 15

5 p.m. January Gray

6:40 p.m. Kevin Griffin

Saturday May 16

11 p.m. Brandon Fulson

12:40 p.m. January Gray

2:20 p.m. Kevin Griffin

4 p.m. Logan Murrell

6 p.m. The Reunited

 

SOUND BISCUIT PRODUCTIONS STAGE

Friday May 15

5 p.m. The Reunited

6 p.m. Voice of Mercy

7 p.m. Pea Pickin Hearts

8 p.m. Logan Murrell

9 p.m. Jeff Lane

Saturday May 16

11:30 a.m. Mountain Soul Vocal Competition

3 p.m. Voice of Mercy

5 p.m. The Reunited

6 p.m. Pea Pickin Hearts

7 p.m. Jeff Lane

8 p.m. Logan Murrell

9 p.m. Martha Christian

 

GOTEEZ.COM STAGE

Friday May 15

7 p.m. GoTeez Writers in the Round / Open Mic & Jam

Saturday May 16

10 a.m. Sydni Stinnett

11 p.m. Kit Rodgers

Noon Singer/Songwriter Karen E. Reynolds

1 p.m. Billy Hubbard Band

2 p.m. Kyle Adem

3 p.m. Drew’s Country Blues

4 p.m. Kent Bilbrey & Redbud Range

5 p.m. Outlaw Willie Franklin & Blackwater

6 p.m. Billy Hubbard Band, Outlaw Willie Franklin & Blackwater, Kent Bilbrey & Redbud Range and more

 

BACK PORCH STAGE

Saturday May 16

11 a.m. Carolina Express

2 p.m. Sevier Co. Sheriff’s Dept. K-9 unit demonstration

4 p.m. Announcement of Bush’s Best TN State Championship Cook Off winners

 

SPECIAL HAPPENINGS

Friday May 15

10 p.m. – 2 a.m. Late Night Jam presented by Dixie Stampede at Courthouse Donuts

Saturday May 16

10 a.m. Downtown Sevierville Historic Walking Tour

2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. KaTom People’s Choice Contest

4 p.m. Downtown Sevierville Historic Walking Tour