BBQ and Boats: What You Missed at Bear & Burton's Key West Invitational
The annual Bear & Burton's Key West Invitational is one of the most unique barbecue competitions in the country.
This week’s guest article is by Kell Phelps, the publisher of the National Barbecue News. Phelps has been an active barbecue competitor and writer for many years and also runs the National Barbecue and Grilling Association (NBBQA). If you want to write a guest article for The Smoke Sheet, please email us.
Born from a passion for making a difference, the first Bear & Burton’s Key West Invitational was legendary. The 2024 edition of the event, held August 23 to 25, took it up a notch—bigger, bolder, and better.
Hosted at Ocean’s Edge Resort in Key West, Florida, this world-class BBQ event brought together top partners, competitors, and influencers, all supporting the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation from Tampa, Florida. Over 20 teams participated in a challenging 3-day, 3-leg tournament featuring fishing, lobster diving, and a mini-BBQ competition. The goal? Raising funds and hope for those who need it most.
The competitions combined to crown the overall champion, but only Bear and Burton know the winning formula. The fishing tournament was a highlight, with teams catching everything from Tarpon and Cobia to Barracuda and Amberjack. Sharks even made an appearance! The standout catch was a massive 175-pound Tarpon by StaleKracker. Team W Sauce, featuring TFTI, Darkside of the Grill, Bama Grill Master, and Chucks FlavorTrain, took home the overall fishing win.
The next day, the teams went lobster diving, followed by a party on a sandbar where Big Green Eggs cooked up R-C Ranch burgers for the first-ever Cheeseburger in Paradise competition. Teams also grilled the lobsters they caught, serving up their burger versions for attendees to enjoy. Meat Church BBQ, featuring help from Tuffy Stone, won this inaugural event.
The event wrapped up with teams cooking around three swimming pools in a mini BBQ competition. Categories included Tri-Tip, Ribs, Steak, and Anything Seafood. Attendees got to sample extras and judge for the people's choice award. Boars Night Out won the SCA-judged event, while Team W Sauce claimed the people's choice award.
Teams also competed in the annual Belly Flop event on the last day. It kicked off with a moving moment from a 10-year survivor of liver cancer, showing the true spirit of the event. The overall winner of the Belly Flop was Chucks Flavortrain, with Meat Dave taking the most creative flop. The Meat Dave crew also took home the Grand Champion trophy at the event.
As attendees, our tickets were donations that gave us a two-day experience with the hottest names in BBQ. The event photos by Daren Proctor capture the vibe perfectly, but words can't fully describe how incredible this event was—a barbecue lover’s dream come true.
In 2023, this event generated over 65 million views and 200 million social media impressions and raised tens of thousands of dollars for the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation. The totals for 2024 are still being tallied.
We had an amazing time and plan to make this event a must-attend every year. Add this one to your bucket list.
Kell Phelps
Publisher, National Barbecue News
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