Episode 105: Peanut Festival and BBQ Cookoff #2

Dothan Peanut Festival (Nov 4-13)
Demopolis Christmas on the River, BBQ Cook-off (Nov 28 – Dec 4)

They’re called goobers, ground nuts, and earth nuts. They’re peanuts, a member of the pea family. Virginia lays claim to the first peanuts, but half the peanuts produced in the U.S. today are grown within 100 miles of Dothan. This city of 58,000 is a natural site for a peanut festival, and hosting the National Peanut Festival draws 120,000 visitors each year. This year’s celebration is November 4-13.

Festival activities include entertainment by big name artists, a peanut parade, choral festival, beauty and recipe contests, and a lively lawn mower race. Dothan has been appropriately termed the Peanut Capital of the U.S.

This final episode of Season to Taste pairs Dothan’s unique peanut celebration with another unique Alabama event, Demopolis Christmas on the River and BBQ Cook-off.

Demopolis was founded in 1817 by French settlers, and while most eventually returned to France, the town remained and grew, spreading along the banks of the river. Today the river provides a natural backdrop for a unique parade and festival.

From November 28 to December 4, Demopolis’ Christmas on the River celebrates its river heritage and status as a major regional barbecue cook-off. The festival attracts 40,000 people who line the banks of the river to watch a 20-boat nautical parade towing floats bedecked in thousands of lights. Second only to this inspiring display is a renowned barbecue cook-off.

Last year 41 barbecue teams competed. Many teams work Friday night, inviting friends to sample their efforts. But on Saturday, they cook for judges only.

The festival also features fireworks, arts and crafts, free movies, a dance, and candlelight tours of antebellum homes, three of which are on the National Register.

Peanut Facts

• Approximately half the peanuts grown in the United States are grown within a 100-mile radius of Dothan, Alabama.
• Alabama, the third largest producer of peanuts in the U.S., grew 426,136,000 pounds of peanuts in 1998.
• Alabama has 2,600 peanut farmers who employ an additional 6,000 full-time employees.
• The National Peanut Festival, the nation's largest peanut festival, is held each fall in Dothan, Alabama to honor peanut growers and celebrate the harvest season. The event brings more than 120,000 guests to the area.