By Bonita Wilborn
On Saturday, April 27 and Sunday, April 28 join the 27,000 festival-goers in South Pittsburg, Tennessee as they enjoy the sights, sounds, and tastes of the 23rd Annual National Cornbread Festival.
Only one of many events at the Cornbread Festival is the Lodge National Cornbread Cook-Off, where contest finalists will gather and go head to head to determine the year’s champion!
The cook-off champion receives a $5,000 cash prize, a 30-inch stainless steel gas range (a $3,250 value) from FiveStar® Professional Cooking Equipment, and special gifts from Martha White and Lodge® Cast Iron. Second place wins $1500, and third place receives $1,000! The remaining two finalists walk away with $150. All finalists receive up to $500 travel reimbursement and a gift basket courtesy of Martha White® and Lodge® Cast Iron.
Admission for all music performances is included in the $7 Gate Admission. Five stages feature over 50 musical acts on Saturday and Sunday. The 2019 top performer, Billy Dean, is scheduled to perform on Saturday. Grammy and Dove award-winning, Jason Crabb, is scheduled to perform on Sunday.
If you are a musician and play the fiddle, guitar, banjo, mandolin, or harmonica, whether a seasoned veteran or just a beginner, bring your instrument and join the fun in the jam.
2019 SCHEDULE
23RD ANNUAL NATIONAL CORNBREAD FESTIVAL
All times are Central Daylight Time
Souvenirs pre-sale in April
- 4/15 to 4/19, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 4/22 to 4/25, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (National Cornbread Headquarters, 221 S Cedar Ave, South Pittsburg, TN 37380)
Saturday, April 20
- 6:00 p.m. – Miss National Cornbread Contest Pageant (The Princess Theater)
Tuesday, April 23
- Week-long Carnival by Kissel Rides begin
- Weeknights after 6:00 p.m.
- Saturday and Sunday after 10:00 a.m.
Friday, April 26
- 6:00 p.m. – Opening Ceremonies
- 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. – Street Dance
- 10:00 p.m. – Fireworks Display
Saturday, April 27
- 5K Run/Walk Registration will begin at: 6:30 a.m. CDT
- 8:00 a.m. – 5K Run/Walk
- 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. – Festival Hours
- 9:30 a.m. – 5K Race Results and Awards (Tower Community Bank Stage)
- 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. – Cast Iron Cooking Demo with Executive Chef Shannon Johnson & Chef Kris Stubblefield (Cook-off Stage)
- 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. – Bluegrass, Old Time, Traditional Jam Tent by Moss Motors
- 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. – Tours of Historic Neighborhoods (sign up @ Light #3)
- 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. – Classic Car Cruise-in at the Dixie Freeze
- 10:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. – Cast Iron Use & Care Demonstration (Cook-off Side Stage)
- 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. – Lodge Foundry Tours
- 11:00 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. – Lodge Cast Iron® National Championship Cornbread Cook-off (Cook-off Stage)
- 1:30 p.m. – 2017 Miss National Cornbread Festival Contest Winners Introduced (First Volunteer Stage)
- 2:30 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. – How to Sear a Steak Demo (Cook-off Side Tent)
- 2:45 p.m. – National Cornbread Festival Cook-Off Winners Announced (Cook-off Stage)
- 3:15 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. – Lodge Cast Iron 101 – Cooking & Caring for Cast Iron Cookware (Cook-off Side Tent)
- 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. – Lodge Head to Head Chef Challenge – Chef Michael Price & Sous Chef Patrick Asconi (Old Gilman Grill vs Chef Dao Le & Kenyata Ashford (Bridgeman’s Chophouse) (Cook-off Stage)
- 5:00 p.m. – Billy Dean performing “Only Here for a Little While” and other huge hits from the American Singer and Songwriter (First Volunteer Stage)
Sunday, April 28
- 7:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. – Rotary Club Pancake Breakfast for Marion County Children’s Fund (Cook-off Stage)
- 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. – Community Worship Service (Tower Community Bank Stage)
- 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. – Tours of Historic Neighborhoods (sign up @ Light #3)
- 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. – Cooking Demo by Chef Savannah Sasser & Chef Holly Chute (Cook-off Side Tent)
- 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. – Lodge Cooking Demo with Chef David Olson (Cook-off Stage)
- 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. – Lodge Foundry Plant Tours
- 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. – Bluegrass, Old Time, Traditional Jam Tent by Moss Motors
- 11:00 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. – Seasoning 101 (Cook-off Side Tent)
- 11:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – Cooking Demo by Chef Savannah Sasser & Chef Holly Chute (Cook-off Side Tent)
- 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – Lodge Cooking Demo with Chef Karl Worley of Biscuit Love (Cook-off Stage)
- 12:00 p.m. to 2 p.m. – Cast Iron Collectors Meetup (Lodge 3rd Street Employee Center)
- 12:30 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. – Lodge Cast Iron 101 – Cooking & Caring for Cast Iron Cookware (Cook-off Side Tent)
- 12:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. – 4-H Cook-off (Cook-off Stage)
- 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. – Food Demos & Samplings (Cook-off Side Tent)
- 3:30 p.m. – 4-H Cook-off Winners Announced (Cook-off Stage)
- 3:00 p.m. – Grammy® winner, Jason Crabb performing hits from his album, Unexpected and other huge hits (First Volunteer Stage)
All Weekend
- Festival Foods – Southern Cooking and Dishes from across the USA
- Cornbread Alley – Samples of Cornbread Recipes Galore
- Non-Stop Entertainment on four stages
- Entertainers located at The Princess Theatre, First Volunteer Stage, Tower Community Bank Stage, and the Cardin Forest Products Stage
- Cornbread Eatin’, Buttermilk Chuggin’, Ice Cream Eatin’, and Frozen T-shirt Contests
- 100 Juried Arts & Crafts Vendors
- Official NCF Souvenirs
- Children’s Activities at Kid’s Corner by The Drug Store
Cracker Barrel – Rotary Club Pancake Breakfast
Make sure to join us on Sunday, April 28 from 7:30 a.m. until 10:00 a.m. for fresh sausage and milk, coffee, or juice with a stack of hotcakes dripping in butter and syrup. It’s just $5 per plate. Proceeds benefit the Marion County Children’s Fund.
Come on down and have a hearty breakfast that’ll fuel you for a day of fun!
