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Barbecue festivals are as plentiful as styles of barbecue. Every town has a cook-off or festival or event of some sort, so consider this a small list of suggestions.

For help, we’ve reached out to Robert Moss, a preeminent barbecue expert. He is author of “The History of Barbecue,” which he updated this past year, and barbecue editor for Southern Living.

First, you have to define what a Barbecue festival is, Moss said, and that is different for different people. There are purely competition events, which pit teams against each other to create the best barbecue. Then, there are festivals, which often include more of a hybrid competition and community festival, fusing barbecue with something else like bluegrass music or an apple festival. And there are also barbecue events that are part of larger food and wine festivals. Charleston Wine + Food features several barbecue events, and