Camp 31 serves up a winning weekend

The Camp 31 BBQ crew stacks up freshly barbecued meat during the 18th Northumberland RibFest and Music Festival Aug. 15-16. The Paris-based ribbers had a winning weekend, taking home top honours for ribs, pulled pork, barbecue chicken and sauce.

Casandra Turnbull

Managing Editor

Paris’ own Camp 31 BBQ crew continues to rack up the hardware on the Ribfest circuit this summer.

The travelling rib team was on the road Aug. 15 and 16 for the 18th Annual Northumberland RibFest and Music Festival, where visitors feasted on barbecue from ribbers across Ontario while helping raise funds for local community projects.

Camp 31 walked away with an impressive haul, earning the titles for best ribs, pulled pork, barbecue chicken and sauce.

It’s the latest in a string of wins for the Paris barbecue crew this year. Camp 31 previously captured first place for judged ribs and brisket at the Alliston Ribfest, along with the People’s Choice award for sauce. In Bowmanville, the team was crowned the People’s Choice Best Ribs champion.

Camp 31’s barbecue roots stretch back more than 40 years to Brewton, Ala., where Larry Murphy established the business in 1985. The following year, the Brewton Police Department helped the team enter its first barbecue cook-off in Pensacola, Fla., where it came home with three first-place trophies. Those early wins helped launch what would become a longtime travelling competition and Ribfest operation.

Today, Camp 31 describes Paris as its “second home,” with its restaurant at 22 Paris Rd. serving the community for close to 25 years while the original operation remains in Brewton.

And while locals know Camp 31 for its Paris restaurant, the travelling rib crew continues to take the Camp 31 name, and some award-winning barbecue, to Ribfests across Canada.