Pitmasters from around the world are welcome to register for the 2019 Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest as team registration is officially open for the 42nd annual Contest held in Tom Lee Park on the banks of the Mississippi River in downtown Memphis.

It takes nearly 400 judges to determine the World Champion, and more than ninety newly-certified judges finished the Official Memphis in May Judges Seminar held on November 10 and joined the ranks of those qualified to serve at the upcoming Contest.

The World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest features the championship categories of Whole Hog, Rib, and Shoulder, plus the Patio Porkers, an amateur division for those who want to test their skills before competing with the professionals.