Segra Park to host “Southeastern BBQ Showdown,” the first of its kind in the U.S.

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) — When you think of baseball you may also think of having a hot dog or two, but an upcoming event may have you dreaming about barbecue.

About one year from now, Segra Park will be home to a food sports competition called the Southeastern BBQ Showdown. Officials say the event will be the first of its kind at a sports stadium within the United States.

Miriam Atria, President of the Capital City Lake Murray Country Tourism Board, says the two day event will host 30 teams as they compete for the title of best barbecue. The teams will cook in the Fireflies outfield.

“We plan for this event to become a home run. This inaugural event will then turn to be an annual competitive event,” says Atria.

Mark Conway with Mark Conway Media says they’ve already received interest from food competitors across the world — including Dubai, Japan, and Australia.

“With an event like this, we’re gonna be bringing people from all over the world.  Different walks of life. They’re either gonna be here to compete and cook, they’re gonna be here to eat, or they’re gonna be here just to have a lot of fun. And family is at the center of it all,” says Conway.

And it’s best to come hungry — the showdown will include plenty of food sampling, as well as an “A-list” country music concert, interactive exhibits., and fireworks.

While event creators won’t confirm who the musical guest is just yet, Team President of the Columbia Fireflies, Brad Shank, says the barbecue alone is sure to bring their biggest crowd they’ve seen — with over 10,000 people expected to attend.

“People actually don’t come to watch baseball here, they just come to eat. That’s what I’ve found and a lot of times, you know, they walk through the gates and the first thing they’re doing is they’re grabbing a drink or they’re grabbing something to eat. So there’s a natural tie in with food, baseball, and that experience. And I think this will give them an even higher end barbecue experience which I think is gonna be a lot of fun,” Shank says.

An exact day in June 2024 that works best with the Fireflies schedule will be confirmed soon. Ticket prices will also be locked down in the coming weeks.