Roanoke-Chowan Pork-Fest

The Roanoke-Chowan Pork-Fest is an annual regional event held each May since 2002{{cite web |title=Roanoke-Chowan Pork-Fest |url=https://www.tasteatlas.com/roanoke-chowan-pork-fest |website=Taste Atlas Awards |access-date=6 January 2025}} on the grounds of the Brady C. Jefcoat Museum in Murfreesboro, North Carolina.{{cite news |first=Amanda |last= VanDerBroek |title=Records fall at Pork Fest |work= Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald |date=May 23, 2007}}{{cite news |last1=Flanagan |first1=Tim |title=Jefcoat Museum: a hidden treasure |url=https://www.thetidewaternews.com/2015/04/04/jefcoat-museum-a-hidden-treasure/ |access-date=6 January 2025 |publisher=Tidewater News |date=4 April 2015}} It is noted as a showcase to sample the type of cooking the region is famous for.{{cite news |last1=Zeigler |first1=Jeff |title=Murfreesboro Pork-Fest a showcase for best in barbecue |url=https://www.pilotonline.com/2006/05/18/murfreesboro-pork-fest-a-showcase-for-best-in-barbecue/ |access-date=6 January 2025 |publisher=Virginia Pilot |date=8 August 2019}}

Largely a barbecue cooking contest, funds from the event benefit the maintenance and operation of the Museum. Judgement of the winner is performed by 3 certified, licensed judges selected from a list of approved judges from the North Carolina Pork Council.{{cite news |last1=Davis |first1=Sarah |title=Less Sauce Equals More Flavor: Pork Fest Continues Long Tradition |access-date=6 January 2025 |publisher=Eastern Living |date=May 2019 |page=42-43|url=https://issuu.com/sencmagazine/docs/el_may_2019_final_web_edition}}

In 2010, the first place prize was awarded as a tie for the first time to Fred Woodard of Smithfield, Virginia and J.W. Condon of Newport, North Carolina.{{cite news|url=http://www.roanoke-chowannewsherald.com/2010/05/20/pork-fest-competition-produces-1st-place-tie/|title=Pork Fest competition produces 1st-place tie|date=20 May 2010|work=Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald|access-date=17 January 2011}} The competition is sanctioned by the North Carolina Pork Council and is part of the Whole Hog Barbecue Series{{cite web |title=13th Annual Roanoke Chowan Porkfest |url=http://www.ncbbq.com/Modules/Events/events.aspx?id=123|publisher=NC BBQ |access-date=6 January 2025}} where the winners of this competition compete for the state championship in Raleigh each October.{{cite web |title=About |url=https://wholehogbarbecue.com/about/ |website=Whole Hog Barbeque Series |publisher=North Carolina Pork Council |access-date=6 January 2025}} Several winners of the Roanoke-Chowan Pork-Fest have won the state championship including one year where the first, second and third place winners of the state championship were from this competition.

No event was held 2020-2023 because of the pandemic but it was reinstated in 2024.{{cite news |last1=Taylor |first1=Holly |title=Pork Fest Revived |url=https://www.roanoke-chowannewsherald.com/2023/08/22/pork-fest-revived/ |access-date=6 January 2025 |publisher=Roanoke-Chowan News Herald |date=23 August 2023}}