Wilcox County Alabama Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff Festival

Each spring, the historic courthouse square in downtown Camden fills with the smell of barbecue for the Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff. The two-day event is one of Wilcox County’s signature gatherings and a centerpiece of the Black Belt’s spring calendar.

Organized by the Wilcox Area Chamber of Commerce, the cookoff pairs a serious barbecue competition with live music, vendors, and a car show that draws visitors from across the region.

Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff: Quick Facts

Location	Wilcox County Courthouse square, downtown Camden, Alabama
Typical timing	A Friday and Saturday in April
Admission	Free
Setting	Historic downtown Camden, Wilcox County
Features	BBQ cook-off, live music, vendors, kids’ activities, antique car show
Organizer	Wilcox Area Chamber of Commerce

A Camden Spring Tradition

The Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff honors its namesake while raising support for the chamber’s work in Wilcox County. It began as a downtown cookoff and grew into a two-day festival with music and vendors.

Today it runs alongside other spring events in Camden, turning the historic courthouse square into a hub of barbecue, music, and community.

For another look at how a community turns its own traditions into a gathering, see the Wilcox County Alabama Gee’s Bend Airing of Quilts Festival for a useful comparison.

What Happens at the Cookoff

Barbecue teams fire up their pits for the cook-off competition, the main event of the weekend. Live entertainment begins on Friday evening and continues through Saturday.

Arts and crafts vendors, food, kids’ activities, and an antique car show round out the day on the courthouse square.

Barbecue and Vendors

The cook-off is the heart of the festival, with teams competing for bragging rights and visitors sampling barbecue from vendors across the square. Arts and crafts booths and food stalls fill out the shopping and eating.

Free admission keeps the weekend accessible, and the downtown setting makes it easy to stroll between the pits, the vendors, and the stage.

Live Music on the Square

Live music runs from Friday evening into Saturday, giving the cookoff a festival soundtrack. Local and regional acts take the stage on the courthouse square.

Between the barbecue, the car show, and the bands, the weekend offers a full slate of things to do in historic downtown Camden.

A Full Day Out

Turn Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff into a day trip by adding a walk through Camden and a stop for a meal for Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff. The pace in Wilcox County invites you to slow down at Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff.

Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff pairs well with the smaller attractions around the courthouse square in downtown Camden, so build in time to wander beyond the gates for Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff.

With a loose schedule, Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff and Camden together make a satisfying full day in Alabama’s Black Belt for Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff.

Local shops near the courthouse square in downtown Camden often stay open late on the day of Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff, so there is time to browse for Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff.

For Families and Kids

There is plenty to keep younger visitors engaged at Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff, from hands-on activities to the food and the music around the courthouse square in downtown Camden for Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff. The atmosphere in Camden is relaxed and welcoming at Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff.

Bring a stroller or wagon to Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff if you have little ones, and pack water and snacks to smooth the day for Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff.

Many activities at Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff are aimed at children, which makes Wilcox County an easy choice for a family outing for Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff.

A small bag of snacks and a water bottle prevent most meltdowns at Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff in Wilcox County for Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff.

Staying Comfortable

the courthouse square in downtown Camden hosts a walkable festival in Camden, and comfort at Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff comes down to preparation for Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff. Sensible shoes and water are the essentials at Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff.

If accessibility is a concern at Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff, reach out to the organizers ahead of time for Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff. They can describe entrances, parking, and the terrain in Wilcox County at Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff.

With the right preparation, Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff is a comfortable outing for visitors of all ages for Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff.

Shade is at a premium at Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff, so a hat and periodic breaks keep the day comfortable in Wilcox County for Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff.

Season and Setting

April sets the tone for Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff, and the grounds at the courthouse square in downtown Camden are open to the sky for Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff. Comfort in Camden starts with the right clothing at Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff.

Think breathable layers and shoes built for walking when you visit Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff for Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff. Bring water, and plan to rest in the shade between stops at the courthouse square in downtown Camden at Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff.

The season shapes the whole feel of Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff in Wilcox County, so a little planning goes a long way for Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff.

Check the Camden forecast the day before Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff and pack to it rather than to the season alone for Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff.

Fuel for the Day

A full day at Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff calls for real meals, not just snacks, and the vendors around the courthouse square in downtown Camden deliver for Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff. Local favorites in Camden round out the options at Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff.

Eat early or late to avoid the longest lines at Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff, and keep water on hand through the afternoon in Wilcox County for Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff.

Good food keeps the day going at Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff, so treat the meals as part of the plan for Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff.

Try something new at Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff; the vendors around the courthouse square in downtown Camden reward the adventurous for Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff.

Cost and Tickets

Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff admission: Free to attend for Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff. Budget for food and any crafts or goods you want to take home from Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff, since the vendors around the courthouse square in downtown Camden are a big part of the draw at Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff.

Many festivals like Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff keep the gate free or low-cost and earn their keep through vendors in Camden, so bring a little cash as well as a card for Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff.

Set a spending plan for Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff in advance, and check ahead for any paid extras at the courthouse square in downtown Camden such as tastings, rides, or a 5K for Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff.

Carrying a little cash speeds up purchases at Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff and helps the smaller vendors around the courthouse square in downtown Camden for Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff.

Directions and Arrival

The drive into Camden runs through Alabama’s Black Belt, and the courthouse square in downtown Camden is the natural landmark once you reach Wilcox County for Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff. Signage near the grounds usually makes the final turn obvious for first-time visitors at Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff.

Coming from out of town, aim for the courthouse square in downtown Camden rather than the town center, and allow extra time around the peak hours of Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff for Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff. The approach through Wilcox County is straightforward at Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff.

Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff draws traffic into Camden on its busiest day, so a slightly earlier start smooths the whole visit and leaves more time to enjoy the courthouse square in downtown Camden for Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff.

Once you reach the courthouse square in downtown Camden, the layout of Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff is easy to grasp, which means less time navigating and more time enjoying Camden for Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff.

Local Organizations

Civic clubs, churches, and nonprofits from Camden are fixtures at Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff, and their booths are part of the festival’s character for Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff.

The money these groups raise at the courthouse square in downtown Camden often funds scholarships, services, and events across Wilcox County for Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff.

Getting to know the organizations at Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff is a good way to plug into life in Camden for Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff.

The volunteer spirit behind Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff is one of the things that makes Wilcox County a strong community for Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff.

Planning an Overnight

For those traveling far, an overnight in Camden turns Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff into a relaxed trip for Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff. Accommodation near the courthouse square in downtown Camden keeps the drive short on the day at Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff.

Reserve early if Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff falls on a busy weekend in Wilcox County, and confirm the distance from your lodging to the courthouse square in downtown Camden for Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff.

Staying over lets you enjoy Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff without a long drive home at the end of the day for Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff.

A room within walking distance of the courthouse square in downtown Camden makes Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff effortless to enjoy for Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff.

Browse and Buy

Between the performances at Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff, the vendor booths around the courthouse square in downtown Camden offer plenty to browse in Camden for Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff. Craft and food stalls dominate the mix at Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff.

Ask the sellers at Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff about their work, and you will often learn something about Wilcox County along the way for Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff.

Shopping at Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff is part of the fun, and it supports the local economy of Alabama’s Black Belt for Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff.

A handmade gift from Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff carries more meaning than anything from a chain store in Camden for Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff.

Why This Festival Matters

Gatherings like Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff are how a community tells its own story for Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff. The event draws on Wilcox County’s identity and turns it into something visitors can share for a day in Camden at Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff.

Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff is a reminder that the best festivals grow from a place rather than being dropped onto it, and that is what makes the trip to the courthouse square in downtown Camden worth it for Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff.

Supporting Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff supports Camden, since the money and the energy stay close to home for Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff.

Every year, Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff renews the bond between the people of Camden and the place they call home for Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff.

Festival Area Map

The map below places the cookoff on the courthouse square in downtown Camden, with the main routes through Wilcox County marked for planning. Camden sits in Alabama’s Black Belt, southwest of Selma.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff held?

It is held over a Friday and Saturday in April.

Where does it take place?

On the courthouse square in downtown Camden, in Wilcox County, Alabama.

Is admission free?

Yes. Admission is free, with food and vendor purchases separate.

What is there to do?

Watch the barbecue cook-off, enjoy live music, browse vendors and arts and crafts, visit the antique car show, and bring the kids for family activities.

Who organizes the event?

The Wilcox Area Chamber of Commerce organizes the cookoff.

Is it family-friendly?

Yes. The weekend includes kids’ activities and is designed for all ages.

What to Expect From the Next Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff

Is Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff held every year for Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff?

Yes, the Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff is an annual April event for Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff.

When is the next edition?

It is expected on a Friday and Saturday in April for Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff. Check the Wilcox Area Chamber of Commerce for the confirmed dates at Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff.

Does the schedule change?

The teams and performers change from year to year for Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff.

Last updated: October 2026

The Mark Curl Memorial BBQ Cookoff fills downtown Camden with barbecue, music, and community each spring. Come for the cook-off and stay for a weekend on the historic courthouse square.