After 93 years the annual Mallard Creek BBQ is ending. The event, known for its smoked pork and Brunswick Stew, has been a big fundraiser for the church, supporting local and world missions and the church’s building fund since 1929. It's become a signature annual event for many people in Charlotte each fall as well.
Church officials say generational leadership of the event has stepped aside, leaving them unable to continue.
Here's the full message that the church posted Wednesday:
"Mallard Creek Presbyterian Church will retire the “granddaddy of barbecues” after a 93-year tradition of successfully funding local and world missions along with supplementing it’s building fund. Steeped in history and longtime traditions, it’s with heavy hearts to step away. Generational leadership of the four main components of the BBQ has stepped aside and our process simply can’t sustain the voids. Everything seems to have a life cycle and for the Mallard Creek BBQ, that life cycle is 93-years.
We want to thank everyone for their devotion and dedication to the glorious mission, and we especially want to thank all of the members of the BBQ Committee both past and present who have represented our congregation so tirelessly through the years to build this strong tradition.
We want to thank the countless thousands of neighbors who have visited the BBQ over the years for good food, fellowship, homecomings of sorts, and contributions to missions to continue to move our Lord’s work ahead.
About the Mallard Creek Barbecue
The Annual Mallard Creek Barbecue has been a Charlotte tradition since 1929. The church was under construction building Sunday school rooms when the nation fell into the Great Depression. Unable to pay the contractor, the deacons hosted a barbecue to raise the money. Funds raised were used to make contributions to local and world missions and supplement the church’s building fund. For more information, visit www.mallardcreekbbq.com."