By Darragh Doiron

Port Arthur News

GROVES — It takes a ton of prep work to grill meat for the masses. Larry Perio has spent this week stocking up on essentials from paper towels to crackers for Grillin’ in Groves.

It’s about to start smelling good at Lions Park, and the Texas Pecan Festival is still a week away. This weekend, it’s all about the meat.

Teams will head to Lions Park and set up tricked-out professional pits on Friday. Expert cookers will throw various meats on the grill to be smokin’ hot and ready for Saturday’s judging.

Visitors can go to watch all the action, and also get a bite for donations that benefit local causes.

Perio, who thought up the whole meat fest, said a band will play from 8 to 10 p.m. Friday. The fun will continue Saturday.

“Saturday there will be a remote broadcast from 10 am to noon by Cumulus Radio. This is sponsored by BASF/Sabina Chemical. For a donation the public can enjoy sampling the barbecue from different teams,” Perio said. “There will be sandwiches for sale benefiting a local teacher.”

Port Neches-Groves High School representatives will sell tickets for someone to win a barbecue pit. Proceeds will benefit the school band.

For years, skilled pit teams have gathered in Groves for this competition that benefits yet another service group.

“Our sponsors have generously donated approximately $4,600 to our charity, the Groves Senior Citizens Center,” Perio said.

To grill him for more details, call him at 962-6060.

ddoiron@panews.com