Sunday Beast Feast

Six competitors will show their skill on the grill at Chattanooga Market

Whether you like your barbecue rubbed or slathered, spicy or mild, there’s a meat to meet your taste at Chattanooga Market in First Tennessee Pavilion on Sunday, June 12.

Pork, beef, chicken and ribs will be on the grill as the market hosts its eighth annual Beast Feast BBQ Contest. Pitmasters from six local restaurants and catering companies will vie for barbecue bragging rights as winners of the Judges’ Choice or People’s Choice awards. The six competitors are The Real Smokehouse BBQ , Choo Choo Bar-B-Que, Porker’s Bar- B- Que, Lockhart’s Fire and Smoke Catering, Flying Squirrel and GDaddy’s BBQ Catering. Lockhart’s will be defending its title as 2015 Judges’ Choice winner.

Market visitors can sample each competitor’s skill on the grill for $2 bites. Or purchase a full plate for an additional charge and just enjoy lunch at the market. Steve Brehm, market operations manager, says signs will be posted around the competitors’ booths telli ng marketgoers what number to text for People’s Choice voting.

In addition to barbecue bites, there will be 200 vendors of produce and crafts to check out as well.

“We’ll have strawberries through about the end of August. We’ve got peaches in and sweet corn coming this week. Produce is really starting to pour in,” says Brehm.

Local favorite Irish band The Molly Maguires takes the stage at 12: 30 p. m. for an hourlong show. The Molly Maquires is composed of Julie Kunesh, Casey Phillips, Jon Wimpee and Marc Michael. These musicians — all from different backgrounds but sharing a love of Celtic music — put their own spin on songs ranging from 17th- to 21st-century music.

At 2 p.m., The Roamies take the market stage. Husband and wife Alexa James and Rory Partin make up this duo, which won the award for Best Theme Song for a Comedy at the 2013 LA Webfest and Best Soundtrack at the Maverick Movie Awards.

Ja mes has recorded several professional albums, had a No. 1 song on the radio and f ive other Top 10 hits. She was named Hot Adult Contemporary Artist of the Year at the 2010 Los Angeles Music Awards. Partin also has notched a radio No. 1 single and has performed in more than 30 countries. The two are currently working on their first album together.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO - Husband-and-wife duo Rory Partin, left, and Alexa James are The Roamies, playing at 2 p.m. Sunday, June 12, on the EPB Stage at Chattanooga Market.