(file photo of 2009 event)

KYW’s Karin Phillips reports that the annual BBQ and Blues in the Park was launched last year by the non-profit Main Street Mount Holly organization as part of a continuing effort to revitalize the downtown area of what is the county seat of Burlington County New Jersey. 

However, this year, there will be at least 42 competitors, which makes the event an official New Jersey state championship of barbeque.

Organizer Lynn Scowcroft says there’ll be barbeque competitors from all over the middle Atlantic region and beyond:

“They have smokers, they have secret recipes and their wives, girlfriends, families will follow them around to the different events.”

For more info, go tohttp://bbqandbluesinthepark.com/.