BBQ smells to fill Hope Town Square Friday and Saturday

The Hope Town Square will be a good place for BBQ fans this weekend. Today and tomorrow is Smoke on the Square, an annual fundraiser for the Community Center of Hope.

While 15 teams will be competing for trophies and other prize money, there will also be plenty of food for BBQ fans to try, says Jeff Yarnell, organizer of the event.

Food will be available to purchase including pork shoulders, packer briskets, chicken breasts and hot dogs. Those will be sold both individually and as part of meals including sides and a drink.

You can also check on the competing teams and see the different styles of smokers and ingredients, Yarnell said.  Those teams are competing for prize money and trophies.

The one-bite challenge is new this year. Teams will have an hour to compete for judges, by cooking a surprise meat chosen secretly by organizers.

Saturday afternoon will include voting on the People’s Choice award, where participants can sample all of the teams BBQ. That starts at about 4 p.m.

Smoke on the Square runs from 4 to 9 p.m. today and from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, or until food runs out.