The American Royal Barbecue Contest is being held this weekend signifying that the 2005 barbecue contest season is nearing an end.

We had a lot of fun in our first year living in Michigan and competing outside of the State of Florida for the first time. We attended events in Carmel, IN; Winchester, TN, Madison, IN; Grand Rapids, MI; and Dundee, MI.

Many people think of barbecue contests as a strictly a southern past time, but I can attest that midwesterners are serious about their barbecue contests too.

Madison, IN and Grand Rapids, MI had too of the largest contests I've ever attended with contestants coming from several states to compete.