Naples Team Wins Smoke on The Water Barbecue Competition

Second place in the Krieger Electric professional category went to Forrest Fine Foods of Cottondale in North Florida. The teams walked off with $2,000 and $1,500 in prize money, respectively.

Turns out Polk County has no shortage of barbecue fanciers.

Saturday's event at the club's Winter Haven headquarters attracted a crowd estimated at 23,000 and raised as much as $80,000, said event coordinator Frank Csomos.

"We're not as big as Lakeland (Pigfest), and I don't ever want to be as big," said Csomos, pronounced SHMOSE. "(But) we had over 80 teams, and we had a huge waiting list to get into our contest. I bet you (we turned away) a hundred teams."

Smoke on the Water is sanctioned by the Florida Barbecue Association, and is a qualifier for the Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational competition held each October in Lynchburg, Tenn.

Return to top