The Big Island BBQ State Championship keeps growing. It doesn’t happen by itself. Event organizer Perry Vining does a lot of promoting by going to other barbecue competitions and asking barbecue cooks to compete in Albert Lea on the weekend before Labor Day. Vining deserves credit where credit is due. He has done a good of promoting good, old Albert Lea. Above are the Pork ’n’ Pirates, a regular at the Big Island BBQ.