BLENHEIM — Grill masters from all over the county, state, and country will compete in the fifth annual Marlboro County Country Cook-off on Saturday.
Gates open at 2 p.m. at We Get It Together Caterers, 3591 Hwy 38 in Blenheim.
The Country Cook-off was created by Bennettsville native and nationally known journalist Arthur Fennell.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the event was not held.
“People are ready to get back out. They have told me how much they have missed it,” he said. “We are happy to be able to do it again for everyone.”
There will be 32 grill masters who are going to be there from Marlboro County, Dillon County, Marion County, Columbia, Charlotte, Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, and Georgia.
Fennell said they are planning to attend because they wanted to be a part of the festivities.
Organizers have had to turn away other grill masters that want to compete due to an inability to accommodate them at the site.
The cost is $15 to attend the cookoff with the proceeds going to a scholarship fund. This year, five scholarships will be given to local students.
A special presentation will be held at the event for winners of the Cook-off and scholarship recipients.
Fennell said he has heard from many people who are bringing their families and have planned their family reunions around this event.
For Fennell, the game-changer for the event is the addition of his YouTube series – Country Style with Art Fennell. The series focuses on country-style living in Bennettsville and Marlboro County.
He added the response to the series has created national attention about Marlboro County.
“Many of the attendees are people who have never been here in their life,” he said. “They wanted to come to meet the people of Marlboro County. It will enlighten people about what we have known all along, that life here in Marlboro County is a pretty cool place to be and a great existence.”
Fennell encouraged people to attend so they can help provide scholarships while eating some of the best barbecue, wings, or brisket in the country.