The Memphis in May World Championship BBQ contest began in 1978. The first World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest was held in Memphis with 26 teams competing.
The contest grew rapidly after that debut: 50 teams entered in 1979, 80 competed in 1980, and 180 teams from nine states participated in 1981. It eventually became one of the most prominent pork barbecue competitions in the world.
The contest developed within Memphis in May, a festival that began in 1977 and combines music, international cultural programming, running events, and barbecue. The original idea for a barbecue contest is credited to Memphis in May events committee chairman Rodney Baber and Jack Powell, who was Tennessee’s reigning chili champion.
The year 1977 is therefore an easy date to confuse with the answer: it marks the festival’s beginning, while 1978 marks the launch of its championship barbecue contest.