Olde City Park will be turned into a smokehouse this weekend as competitors vie for the best barbecue prize in the first-ever BBQ on Ballard.

The event, which was originally scheduled for October of last year, will be held from 3:30 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. Saturday, May 14, in the park.

The city of Wylie will partner with the Wylie Downtown Merchants Association (WDMA) and other organizations to provide attendees with samples of barbecue from several pitmasters.

Pitmasters will begin setting up Friday, May 13 and line up on Jackson Street facing the park.

The event is sanctioned by the Outlaw BBQ Association.

Adam Diebold, owner and pitmaster of Bold BBQ, said that because the event is sanctioned, pitmasters will earn points based on how well they do.

Diebold said competitors earn points over the season in hopes of earning enough to either compete or attend the Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational Barbecue, a competition held in Lynchburg, TN.

Sanctioning the event means it will bring the competition to a new level, said Diebold.

The sanctioned portion of the event will have official judging, but there will be a people’s choice winner decided by attendees as well.

Tickets cost $15 per person and can be purchased at discoverwylie.com. Tickets are limited. Proceeds will go to the Downtown Beautification Project.