FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 24, 2017 Contact: Karen Wiser – 614.645.6449, KLWiser@columbus.gov WEB FACEBOOK INSTAGRAM

COLUMBUS, OH – Jazz & Rib Fest, produced by the Columbus Recreation and Parks Department, announces the winners of the 2017 Best Ribs Awards. Jazz & Rib Fest took place July 21-23 along the Scioto Mile.

23 award-winning rib teams from across North America competed for a variety of awards. Moo Moo Express Car Wash presented the Critics’ Choice, Critics’ All-Ohio Champion, Best Sauce and Big Whigs’ Award. Other awards included the People’s Choice Award, powered by 614 Magazine, and the Silver Axe Award presented by the Columbus Division of Fire.

2017 Best Ribs Awards Winners

Competing rib teams included:

Armadillo’s - Richfield, OH Austin’s Texas Lightning BBQ –-Burr Ridge, IL Bad Wolf Barbecue - Toronto, ON, Canada BBQ Masters - Stockbridge, GA Big Boned BBQ Co. - Ravenel, SC Butch’s Smack Your Lips BBQ -Mt. Laurel, NJ Carolina Rib King - Moore, SC Chicago BBQ Co. - Burr Ridge, IL Cowboy’s BBQ & Rib Co. - Weatherford, TX Desperado’s BBQ & Rib Co. -Hinckley, OH Howling Coyote BBQ - Chicago, IL

Jack on the Bone - Massillon, OH Johnson’s BBQ - Chesapeake, VA Just North of Memphis - Annandale, MN Mojo’s Rib Shack -Canton, OH Pigfoot BBQ Cooking Team - Mentor, OH Pigtails Barbeque- West Salem, OH Porky N’ Beans - Port Saint Lucie, FL Schmidt’s German Village - Columbus, OH Smokin’ Joe’s Hog Wild Barbeque - Mansfield, OH Smokin’ T’s BBQ - Bedford, OH Texas Outlaw BBQ - Elizabethtown, KY Texas Pit Barbecue - Willis, TX

Critics’ Choice Champion – Porky N’Beans 2nd Place – Desperado’s BBQ & Rib Co. 3rd Place – Pigtails BBQ Co.

Big Whigs’ Award Champion – Pigfoot BBQ Co. 2nd Place – Porky N’ Beans 3rd Place – Desperado’s BBQ & Rib Co.

Critics’ All-Ohio Champion Desperado’s BBQ & Rib Co.

People’s Choice powered by (614) Magazine Pigtails BBQ Co.

Best Sauce BBQ Masters

Silver Axe Award Big Boned BBQ Co.

2017 Jazz & Rib Fest Judges

Professional Critics Dave Karn- Columbus Division of Fire Abbie Buckley- DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Columbus Downtown Keith Kuhlmann- Kansas City Barbeque Society Steve Chesshir- Columbus Division of Fire Christie Kuhlmann- Kansas City Barbeque Society Dan Hurst- Kansas City Barbeque Society Janet Hedges- Columbus Division of Fire Ann Flora- Kansas City Barbeque Society Scott Armstrong- Kansas City Barbeque Society

Big Whigs’ Award Judges Wayne Lewis- 614 Magazine Kyle Broderick- Anheuser-Busch Bob Kendrick- ABC 6/ FOX 28 Bill Kelly- ABC 6/ FOX 28 Dale Heydlauff- American Electric Power Keenan Sanders- American Electric Power Dr. Frederic Bertley- COSI Paul Rakosky – Columbus Recreation and Parks Department Keith Lawrence- Moo Moo Express Car Wash Eric Rickabaugh- Rickabaugh Graphics Clark Donley- Sunny 95 Kara Anderson- Live Technologies

Jazz & Rib Fest is presented by the Columbus Recreation and Parks Department and made possible through the generous support of American Electric Power, ABC 6 WSYX/FOX 28 WTTE, Bud Light, Sunny 95 (94.7 FM), The Color Run, Live Technologies, US Foods, Coca-Cola, 614 Magazine, COSI, Big Bite Tour, Great American Cookout Tour, The Ford Experience Tour, Lasik Vision Institute, PNC Bank, Kentucky Board of Tourism, King Arthur Flour, Ken’s Simply Vinaigrette and DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Columbus Downtown

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