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MURFREESBORO – PorkFest will return next month, bringing people the familiar taste of delicious barbecue that everyone always looked forward to in years past.

With permission from the former organizers, the Murfreesboro Volunteer Fire Department has taken on the reigns of the event, which will be held from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, June 1 at 201 E. Broad Street. That’s the same location where the Watermelon Festival is held each year, and it will allow them to expand the event to include more entertainment and activities.

The main attraction, however, will still be the barbecue. As in previous years, the event features a cookoff sanctioned by the North Carolina Pork Council. Fifteen teams from all over the state – and one as far away as South Carolina – have registered to take part in the cookoff.

The teams will start on Friday and then have their barbecue judged on Saturday morning. After that, the barbecue will be packaged up to be sold by the plate or by the pound throughout the day on Saturday.

MVFD member James Byerly said the cost is $10 per plate and $10 per pound. Plates will include barbecue, green beans, boiled potatoes, coleslaw, and hushpuppies. They prefer for people to purchase their plates ahead of time, but people will still be able to purchase plates on the day of as well.

In addition to the barbecue, PorkFest will host food vendors offering “sweet treats” such as cotton candy, funnel cakes, and more.

The vendor fair, which will be located on the lawn of Hertford Academy, will also include a variety of craft vendors.

A car and tractor show will be located nearby as well. Byerly said it will be open for “anything that people want to show off.” The registration fee is $20.

While the rest of the festival will be held rain or shine, the car show will be “shine” only.

Music throughout the event will be provided by DJ Jesse (from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.), RT Johnson (2-4 p.m.), and Skosh (5-7 p.m.). The stage will be set up in front of the Murfree Center.

There will be activities and games for children and their families to enjoy. That includes bounce houses, cornhole boards, a dunking booth, and more.

“You’ll just have to come and see who’s in the dunking booth,” said Byerly.

“We’re going to have a good time out there,” he continued. “We want it to be a family fun day as well as a fundraiser for the fire department.”

MVFD Chief Harrison Revelle said the proceeds from the event will help support fire department operations, particularly to purchase necessary equipment such as protective gear, hoses, and more.

Both Revelle and Byerly expressed appreciation for the former event organizers from the Jefcoat Museum who allowed them to bring back the annual event. Byerly said they worked closely together to ensure that the festival brings the community the same kind of fun they remember from years past.

“They’ve been gracious enough to let us use some of the same equipment that they were using in their event,” Byerly said.

“It’s going to be a lot of fun,” he concluded.

For more information about PorkFest, visit their website: murfreesboroncvfd.com/PorkFest

On the website, you can purchase barbecue tickets and raffle tickets beforehand or register as a vendor, car show participant, or event sponsor. Tickets can also be purchased from a member of the Murfreesboro Volunteer Fire Department.