The organizers of the 2007 Sweetwater Festival are giving the Milledgeville community a chance to go hog wild when it comes to the barbecue festival portion of the event.

Heather Holder, of Milledgeville Main Street, said the response had been “incredible” as of last week.

“I have 35 teams registered, compared to last year when I had 26,” Holder said. “That includes two whole hogs, 18 shoulders and 29 rib entries.”

The Sweetwater Festival is a Memphis in May sanctioned event, according to Holder. Memphis has hosted the World Championship Barbecue Contest since 1997.

The event, held each year in May, is one of the most prestigious and sought-after barbecue competitions in the country for both judges and participants.

Beginning next year, Memphis in May will no longer sponsor the sanctioned barbecue network. A new feeder organization called Memphis Barbecue Network will serve in the same capacity, and future winners of Sweetwater will continue receiving an invitation and paid bid to the Memphis in May championship, Holder said.

“If anything I expect more teams to be involved,” Holder said. “The MBN group has a focus on customer service and a genuine passion for Memphis style barbecue,” Holder said.

With so many grills and so much food involved, many in the Milledgeville and Baldwin County community have been calling Holder’s office inquiring about how to receive a sample of some of the barbecue from this year’s event.

On Thursday the public will have an opportunity to have dinner from 6 - 8 p.m. with three of the top barbecue teams in the country during the first-ever “VIP Sneak Peak.”

“Baby back” ribs will be available with two sides and a drink for only $20 while Jack’s Old South, the Boggy Pond Brigade and the Bubba Grills team showcase samples of their products as the teams demonstrate the process of cooking championship BBQ.

“I always hear friends say they were disappointed because they didn't get to sample championship BBQ at the contests,” Holder said. “This was a way to help with that and still view the barbecue competition.”

Jack’s Old South has been the Memphis in May team of the year with the highest number of points for six years in a row, according to Rachel Stubbs, publicity intern with the Sweetwater Festival.

The Boggy Pond BBQ Brigade is based in Moultrie and won first place in the whole hog competition at the 2005 Sweetwater Festival while Bubba Grills is based out of Haddock and are the grand champions of the first Georgia Barbecue Association in Fort Valley that was held in September, Stubbs said.

“The first Sweetwater Festival was around the time we began cooking in the professional circuit and because of that we feel like we’ve grown up with each other,” Lonnie Smith, owner of Bubba Grills, said.

As Main Street prepares for the VIP Sneak Peak, the People’s Choice tasting competition at Sweetwater is also scheduled to go ahead as planned this year.