Organizers plan to cook more than 14,000 pounds of pork for annual Mallard Creek BBQ WSOC TV

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Preparations got underway Thursday morning for the annual Mallard Creek barbecue fundraiser.

The event attracts thousands of people to enjoy food and get to know candidates running for office in our area.

[THROWBACK PHOTOS: 85th annual Mallard Creek BBQ]

Volunteers expect 20,000 people to attend the event and enjoy the food and mingle with local candidates.

Preps for Charlotte’s premier political event are heating up!

Volunteers are cooking 15,000 pounds of pork for the 89th Mallard Creek Barbecue.

Politicians will work the crowd next Thursday when 20,000 people show up for the barbecue. @wsoctv pic.twitter.com/WPGL40N2y2

On Thursday, they will be preparing about 7,000 pounds of pork shoulders -- chopping and packaging the barbecue for storage. Organizers plan to cook over 14,000 pounds of pork total.

[POLITICS & PORK: 20,000 expected at 88th Mallard Creek Church BBQ]

“The politicians, they figured out how many folks were coming to the barbecue back in the 1950s and it’s just grown from there,” said organizer Charles Kimrey. “We’ve got a special place where they can set up and hand out brochures and stickers and leaflets and whatnot.”

The event will be held next Thursday starting at 10 a.m.

An eye-popping amount of food goes into the Mallard Creek Barbecue:

-15,000 pounds of pork
-2,500 gallons of Brunswick stew
-2 tons of coleslaw
-400 gallons of coffee @wsoctv pic.twitter.com/tL8E4SlGjE

Early voting in North Carolina started Wednesday and Channel learned that more than 11,000 people voted in Mecklenburg County.

The two busiest locations were the South County Library and Cornelius Town Hall.

Play the video above to watch reporter Mark Barber’s report on those preparations.

(VIDEO: Past Coverage)

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