The smell of barbecue will be wafting through Prairie Park in McLouth today and Saturday.

The annual McLouth BBQ Blowout is from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. today and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. The event serves as the Northeast Kansas State BBQ Championship; it is a Kansas City Barbecue Society-sanctioned event, with the winner qualifying for the American Royal Invitational Championship.

Other activities will take place in conjunction with the event Saturday, including the McLouth Kiwanis serving a country breakfast from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and a pie bake-off starting with check-in at 9 a.m. and judging at 10 a.m. A 5K run will start at 8:30 a.m. Homemade ice cream and pies will start selling at 11 a.m., and children’s rides, vendors and concessions will be available at the event. A motorcycle show, model airplane demonstrations, and firefighter and EMT demonstrations also are planned. Both today and Saturday, an exotic animal petting zoo and pony rides will be available for children.

Barbecue judging will start at noon Saturday and awards will be announced about 3:30 p.m. For more information about the event, go to mclouthbbq.com.