MURPHYSBORO, Ill. (KFVS) - The 38th annual Praise the Lard Murphysboro Barbecue Cook-Off will be September 18-20.

Organizers say 17th Street Barbecue will also be celebrating its 40th anniversary year.

“What started out as Mike Mills’s vision to drive commerce and bring people to Murphysboro has grown into something beyond our wildest dreams,” Amy Mills, owner of 17th Street Barbecue, said in a news release. “As we celebrate four decades of being part of this incredible region and nearly four decades of the Cook-Off, I’m reminded that the best traditions are the ones that keep evolving while remaining true to their roots.”

The weekend competition will feature judges from more than 20 states, Canada and, for the first time, Costa Rica, as well as a judge from Switzerland.

They say m

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