I think the heat definitely played a factor in what seemed was a lower than last year. Temperatures in the low nineties combined with very high humidity forced many to find what shade they could. The large trees to the right of the stage proved to be a popular spot for many in attendance.
In spite of the heat, the BBQ was excellent as competitors worked hard to come up with the best tasting recipes to be found anywhere. Just check out the picture of ribs! Now that's good eating! Boy, I’ll tell you, it’s hard to beat perfection, but these folks came pretty close!
While I could not stay long enough to hear who won the BBQ contest, for me it didn’t really matter. Personally, I would award ribbons to all the contestants who spent the long hours and braved high heat to bring such good tasting food to people like myself.