The Maplesville Athletic Club is hosting an Independence Day celebration and BBQ Cook-Off on July 4 to raise money for Maplesville High School athletics.

The celebration will be held at the Maplesville Community Park behind the rest area, and will include a grilling competition, activities for kids, an antique car exhibit and a fireworks show.

Individuals or teams (up to four members) may enter the barbecue contest, which requires the grillers to cook a Boston butt, chicken leg quarters and St. Louis style ribs for judging.

Participants should make sure to cook chicken leg quarters instead of other parts of the chicken, and St. Louis style ribs, which are also known as spare ribs, instead of baby-back ribs, according to Maplesville Athletic Club member Vicki Smith.

The entry fee is $75 for both teams and individuals, and participants should arrive at the Maplesville Community Park at 7 a.m. for meat inspection.

The event will open to the public at 1 p.m., and the judging will begin at 4 p.m.

The first-place winner will be awarded $250; second place wins $150; and third place wins $100.

In addition to the judging, there will also be a People’s Choice competition, in which every team or contestant is issued a jar for people to drop money into.

Grillers are encouraged to provide samples for the community in order to enhance their chances of winning People’s Choice, while samplers are encouraged to give “tips” to the team with the best-tasting cuisine.

The team with the most “tips” will win the People’s Choice competition and receive a plaque.

Though the judges will only be judging the Boston butt, chicken and ribs, those competing can grill anything for people to sample.

“We’ve had some interested in cooking sausages or boudin. If they have a specialty, they can throw it on the grill and bring extra,” Smith said. “It’ll probably be the smell of grilling that attracts people. Let them sample your best.”

In addition to the grilling competition, there will be an inflatable bouncy house, a dunking booth, horse shoes, ring toss and other games.

Smith said MHS Assistant Principal Ashlie Harrison, football coach Brent Hubbert and student athletes will occupy the dunking booth during the festivities.

Admission is $8 for adults (18 and up) and $5 for kids (5-17), with 4 and under getting in free.

An antique car and truck show will also be on site, and anyone with an antique vehicle is welcome to display it.

At the end of the eventful day, around dark, there will be a fireworks show, shot from the community park.

People are welcome to bring chairs or blankets and watch the show from the park, or view the show from a vehicle or another location.

“People will be able to see the fireworks from the rest area, at the ballpark or even from a lot of homes in Maplesville,” Smith said. “It’s estimated to last about 37 minutes.”

All of the proceeds from the event will benefit Maplesville High School athletics.

“The athletic club is planning to use the money to support all of the sports at Maplesville,” Smith said. “It will help take care of basic expenses, and help with things like travel expenses and feeding the teams before home games, plus a lot of other costs.”

According to Smith, the athletic club has been looking for a “different type” of fundraiser, and the holiday seemed like the perfect time to raise money, while also providing the community with a fun way to celebrate the Fourth of July.

“We’ve never had anything like this,” Smith said. “We have several people in the community who like to cook on the grill, so the idea came from that.”

For more information on the barbecue contest or the celebration, contact Vicki and James Smith at (334)366-2939 or Roman Heard at (334)543-6831.