“Two of my friends were having some banter back and forth about whose barbecue is better so I suggested we have a smoke-off at a friend’s house to settle it,” says Reynolds.
Which transformed into the very first Tampa Pig Jig, which was hosted in 2011. The backyard barbecue competition fundraiser invited a number of friends and family to grab a plate of food, dance, and donate money to find a cure for FSGS. This low-key inaugural event raised $6,000.
“We probably had 200 people that came throughout the day. Afterward, we figured we could do it again the following year and make it bigger,” Reynolds explains.
And they did, by raising $50,000 and feeding thousands more.
Wanting to continue the tradition of getting bigger and better, the gang is gearing up for the 9th Annual Tampa Pig Jig on October 19 at Curtis Hixon Park.
Tampa Bay can expect a full day of barbecue competitions, live music and activities for the whole family. Country music singer-songwriter Jake Owen is headlining, along with other performances from Dr. Dog, Lanco, and more.
Proceeds from this year’s Tampa Pig Jig benefits NephCure Kidney International, the only nonprofit searching for an FSGS cure.
This year, 50 amateur teams will compete to see whose barbecue reigns supreme in the categories of best ribs, brisket, pork butt and even, get this, whatever they feel like throwing in the smoker — one year a team entered a small alligator wrapped in bacon.
Competition is stiff, and the Pig Jig has a judging panel headed by Erik Youngs, better known as “Voodoo Chef,” who is in charge of educating the other judges on all things barbecue.
Reynolds says the teams take the contest seriously, even testing out their food prior to the big day.
“The competition is really the heart and soul of the Pig Jig. It’s been a big part of it,” Reynolds says of the contests.
The festivities are from 1-10 p.m. Besides barbecue, guests can sample the Pig Jig Lager crafted by Florida Avenue Brewing Co. in the beer garden. Guests can also catch that day’s scheduled football game streaming on a nearby jumbotron, because barbecue, beer and football make a true American trinity.
General admission tickets are $25 in advance, and $40 at the door. Beer and barbecue tickets are $50 and include general admission plus a craft beer and food sampling event from 2-5 p.m. VIP tickets are $125 in advance, $150 at the door, and include food and four complimentary drinks. Children under 12 get in free.
The event has raised more than $4 million in only eight years. Reynolds says all he wants Tampa Pig Jig to do is raise money and bring awareness to FSGS so a cure can be found.
“We want to find a cure for Nephrotic Syndrome so people like Will aren’t destined with a life of dialysis so there’s a means to an end for that,” he says.
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This article appears in Aug 8-15, 2019.