It’s time to fire up the grills in Suwannee County, or rather turn up the smokers, to be exact.

The first-ever Smokin’ on the Suwannee BBQ Festival will take place this weekend at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak. The event is sanctioned by the Florida BBQ Association and designed to raise funds for the Suwannee High School Future Farmers of America.

“Whatever I make, I’m going to give to them,” said Damon Wooley, the contest organizer, who has been hard at work planning the festival since February.

The event will take place July 24 and 25 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., both days.

Wooley said he hopes the event will provide family fun and generate revenue for the county.

Guests are welcomed to attend and taste the categories of select pork, chicken, ribs and brisket prepared by elite professionals as well as some of the finest backyard-grillers around. Music will be provided by country rocker David Cooler, along with regular Saturday night Spirit of the Suwannee entertainment. Tickets are priced at $2 per person or $5 a carload.

“It’s been a pile of work,” Wooley said, “but the payoff will be well worth it.”

Literally.

The BBQ contest will be split into two divisions — professional and backyard-amateur. Wooley expects 30 pro-division teams and at least 10 amateurs — “mainly out-of-towners trying to get their feet wet” — to compete, he said.

The professional grand champion will walk away with $2,000, and the reserve champ will pocket $1,000. Trophies and cash prizes will be given to the winners and the top 10 place finishers. The competition grand champion automatically qualifies for the American Royal BBQ Championship in Kansas City and will earn the chance to be drawn to compete in the Jack Daniels World Championship in Tennessee.

In the amateur competition, the grand champ will receive $500, while $300 will be awarded to the reserve champ. The top 3 finishers in each category will be awarded cash prizes and a trophy.

Wooley said about seven amateur teams and 25 professional teams had registered for the competition as of Saturday.

“I’m 10 short right now of where I want to be,” he said. Depending on the success of this year’s event, Wooley said, he hopes to make it an annual fest.

“I’m hoping to get 50 to 80 teams eventually,” he said. “We’ve got a good venue for it with the Spirit of the Suwannee. Ideally, I would like to see this become one of the largest FBA sanctioned contests in the state of Florida.”