Why Are Pitmasters From Across America Descending on Southbury This Weekend?

SOUTHBURY, CT — This weekend, Southbury will play host to a unique culinary competition as pitmasters and outdoor cooking enthusiasts from across the country gather for New England EGGfest, hosted by Chatfield's True Value Hardware.

Despite its name, EGGfest has nothing to do with chicken eggs.

The event celebrates the Big Green Egg, a ceramic kamado-style grill and smoker that has developed a passionate following among backyard cooks, professional chefs, and competitive pitmasters alike. Renowned for its versatility, the Big Green Egg can smoke low-and-slow barbecue, grill steaks at steakhouse temperatures, roast poultry, bake pizzas, and even produce artisan breads—all on a single cooker.

This year's event will feature eleven cooking teams traveling to Southbury to showcase their skills and compete for one of the event's highest honors: the People's Choice Award.

Unlike traditional barbecue competitions where a panel of judges determines the winner, New England EGGfest places the decision directly in the hands of attendees. Throughout the event, guests will have the opportunity to visit each team's cooking station, sample a wide variety of dishes, and cast their vote for the team they believe truly "smoked" the competition.

And while barbecue will certainly be well represented, visitors can expect much more than brisket and ribs. Cooking teams are known for preparing everything from seafood and tacos to creative appetizers, desserts, and innovative dishes that highlight the versatility of the Big Green Egg.

The result is part food festival, part cooking demonstration, and part friendly competition, all centered around great food and outdoor cooking.

Adding a hometown storyline to this year's event is Southbury resident Aaron Bethlenfalvy, owner of King of Que BBQ, who will be the only local competitor among the eleven teams. While visiting pitmasters travel from across the region and beyond to compete for People's Choice bragging rights, Bethlenfalvy will have the opportunity to represent Southbury on home turf.

For food lovers, backyard grill enthusiasts, and anyone looking for a unique local event, New England EGGfest offers a rare opportunity to sample dishes prepared by some of the most passionate outdoor cooks in the country—all while helping determine who takes home top honors.

By the end of the day, hundreds of samples will have been served, countless votes will have been cast, and one team will earn the title of People's Choice Champion.

The only question remaining is: who will Southbury decide smoked the competition?

Event Details

• Event: New England EGGfest
• Host: Chatfield's True Value Hardware
• Location: Southbury, CT
• Date: Saturday, June 6
• Time: 1pm - 6pm
• Tickets: Available online at EventBrite