For the 19th year there will be barbecue and bluegrass in abundance at the Washakie County Fairgrounds in Worland as the Pepsi Wyoming State BBQ Championship & Bluegrass Festival gets underway Friday night.

This year's music features three top bluegrass groups from around the country. The annual encore performance is Special Consensus, who returns from last year.

Special Consensus "is a bluegrass band that has achieved a contemporary sound in their four decades of performing, making their music a modern classic. The band is led by Greg Cahill (banjo player and recipient of the prestigious Distinguished Achievement Award from the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) and inducted into the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music in America Hall of Greats) and includes Dan Eubanks (bass), Greg Blake (guitar) and Michael Prewitt (mandolin)," according to the band's website.

Kentucky Sky Bluegrass Band is Randy Hackworth on guitar, Emily Frank on bass, Fred Frank on banjo and Chad Fadely on mandolin.

Hackworth's roots take him back to the hills of Eastern Kentucky. Although he has played in several bands and genres of music, his love and passion is for that bluegrass sound. He is a singer/songwriter and guitarist.

Emily Frank was raised listening to nothing but bluegrass music, and it's still the only music she listens to.  She has played in several different bands. The current group is called "Kentucky Sky" where she contributes with acoustic bass and vocals, as well as writing songs. She said, "I love playing music with these guys and doing harmonies. Plus I get to dress old style and wear hats."

Fred Frank has been in many bluegrass bands over the years starting his bluegrass career with the Stone Mountain Bluegrass Co. He has played banjo, mandolin and guitar in different bands, but in Kentucky Sky he is on five string banjo and singing vocal harmonies. He says, "This is one of the most traditional groups I have been in and I'm having a blast."

Fadely is originally from Hot Springs, Arkansas. He is the newest member of the band but has shared the stage with Fred and Emily many times over the years as a member of New South Fork. Fadely has  played in many bands from Montana and when not making his living playing the mandolin, he's selling guitars for Music Villa in Bozeman. 

Both Randy and Emily write a significant portion of the band's songs in a traditional bluegrass style. This makes for a refreshing yet familiar sound the band offers, Fred Frank said. 

J2B2 John Jorgenson Band is an all-star bluegrass supergroup featuring four legendary, award-winning musicians – John Jorgenson on acoustic guitar, mandolin and vocals; Herb Pedersen on banjo, acoustic guitar and vocals; Mark Fain on bass; and Patrick Sauber on acoustic guitar and vocals. According to their website, "The four combine forces to form a spot-on union of impeccable musicianship, incomparable songwriting, incredible harmony vocals (a fresh twist combining bluegrass with elements of West Coast folk rock) and seasoned showmanship."

Jorgenson and Pedersen are founders (with Chris Hillman) of the formative country rock group Desert Rose Band. After working as a freelance musician in Southern California, Jorgenson met Hillman and soon formed the Desert Rose Band. In 1990, Jorgenson went on to found the Hellecasters and toured with Elton John's band for six years. Artists ranging from Barbra Streisand to Bonnie Raitt to Earl Scruggs have sought out Jorgenson's guitar work.

Herb Pedersen was a member of legendary bluegrass band The Dillards as well as bluegrass super-group Old and In the Way. A sought-after singer and musician, he has worked with such music legends as Chris Hillman, Earl Scruggs, Gram Parsons, Emmylou Harris, Tony Rice, Dan Fogelberg, Stephen Stills, Linda Ronstadt, Kris Kristofferson, John Prine, Jackson Browne and John Denver.

Mark Fain toured and recorded as bass player for Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder for 13 years. He's toured and recorded with the Dixie Chicks, Alan Jackson, Travis Tritt, Dwight Yoakam, Allison Krauss and Dolly Parton, as well as producing many artists in jazz, country, bluegrass and gospel genres.

Patrick Sauber is a multi-instrumentalist who has quickly made a name for himself in the world of bluegrass and old time music. Equally adept on guitar, mandolin and banjo, Sauber has toured with Peter Rowan and Laurie Lewis and appeared on screen in "The Mighty Wind."

All three groups will perform three times, once on Friday and twice on Saturday. A full schedule is on A12.

BBQ AND MORE

There will be 30 teams competing this year for the coveted Pepsi Wyoming State BBQ Championship. Committee Chairman Dave Paxton said they need 25 teams for a sanctioned Kansas City Barbecue Society competition.

They have 36 judges "coming from all over" and all are certified KCBS judges.

Among the 30 teams are local teams Sochie's BBQ/Josh Garcia, Barr's B-Q/Kari Barr; Chubby Cheeks BBQ/Lynn Murdoch, 3 Smokin' Chicks/Makaylan White and a new local team Ten Mile BBQ/Matt Goncalves.

Sochie's, Chubby Cheeks and 3 Smokin' Chicks will join Willie Mo's and We Got Your 6 BBQ (out of Thermopolis) as this year's vendors for the festival.

Food, festival T-shirts and bluegrass band merchandise must be purchased by Bone Bucks, which can be purchased from two Pinnacle bank booths onsite.

Friday starts with opening ceremonies at 5:30 p.m. that includes the national anthem by Audrey Truman, fresh off her appearance at Nowoodstock last weekend.

Music begins at 6 p.m. and ends about 9:30 p.m.

Saturday morning starts with the D.O.E.S. pancake breakfast from 7-9 a.m. Paxton said there will also be bloody mary's and mimosas for sale Saturday morning during the same hours as breakfast.

The annual 5k BBQ Bluegrass Run starts at 7:30 a.m.

The car show, sponsored by Carquest/Dan Atkinson, runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The Kids-Q begins at 9:30 a.m.

Music returns to the stage at 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Awards for the KCBS BBQ competition and Kids Q contest will be presented starting at 4:15 p.m.

Awards are presented for the KCBS contest for chicken, ribs, pork and brisket. There are two optional events, the Mystery Meat, named for former chairman Dale Wagner, and sauce.

Ten places are presented for the four main categories. There are also awards for overall winner, Wyoming High Point and Local/Worland High Point.

American Heroes BBQ from Glenrock, who won in 2021 and 2022, will be back to defend the title.

A People's Choice sampling will be held prior to awards from 3 to 3:30 p.m.

Final sets of bluegrass music begins at 5 p.m. and runs through 8:30 p.m.

Paxton said they will also be raffling off several prizes to raise funds for the 20th festival next year. Items included in the raffle are a barbecue pit and a Traeger WiFi pellet grill donated by Kennedy Ace Hardware.

Facepainting will be available during the festival.

BREWFEST

The celebration actually begins on Thursday with the annual fundraising brewfest at the fairgrounds from 5 to 9 p.m. eight different microbreweries will be offering three to four different products to be sampled. There will be DJ music.

The festival takes a year to plan with 15 active members on this year's committee. Paxton said they are always looking for volunteers for events and people do not have to become committee members to help out at events. Planning for next year will begin in September. He said they are hoping to do some special things for the 20th year.