ATTENTION AMERICARNIVORES: DESTINATION AMERICA SERVES UP "MEAT WEEK" BEGINNING ON MEMORIAL DAY

-Week-Long Programming Event Leads Up to the Premiere of All-New Season of BBQ PITMASTERS on Sunday, June 2 at 9pm E/P-

(Silver Spring, MD) -- Memorial Day is a uniquely American phenomenon involving friends, family, grilling, and good times. Destination American combines those same ingredients for a programming event you can sink your teeth into - MEAT WEEK. Beginning on Memorial Day, Monday, May 27 at 9pm E/P, the week kicks off with the new one-hour special, SMOKED featuring a top pitmaster in the country taking on a bona-fide barbeque blackbelt - the "winningest" man in BBQ, Myron Mixon - in a mano-a-mano showdown for the ground round crown. The line-up of sizzling new shows also includes an all-new special, EPIC BBQ PITS, as well as two new episodes of UNITED STATES OF BACON, culminating with the season premiere of the hit series, BBQ PITMASTERS on Sunday, June 2 at 9pm E/P.

"What better way to celebrate summer than firing up the grills and enjoying true American cuisine," said Marc Etkind, SVP of Content Strategy for Destination America. "Our inaugural MEAT WEEK is a nod to our country's intrepid backyard warriors who fan the flames in their personal pits to share the upcoming season of meat - from burgers to hotdogs to traditional barbecue -- with friends and family."

The MEAT WEEK programming line-up is as follows:

SMOKED - One hour special premieres Monday, May 27 at 9pm E/P

Every year, pit masters across the country vie against their peers for the title of BBQ Pit Masters Grand Champion. But even with the belt in hand, there's still one more thing standing in the way of glory: the judges. SMOKED gives a pit master champion the chance to go tong-to-tong with the judges - and this special features three-time World BBQ Champ Myron Mixon, with help from his son, Michael Mixon - in a showdown to claim the ultimate in BBQ competition bragging rights. In the end, when the dust clears, one will be the victor and the other will be SMOKED!

EPIC BBQ PITS- One hour special premieres Monday, May 27 at 10pm E/P

For some, barbequing is an art form. For others, it's the pits themselves that have become the works of art. Whether it's a pistol-shaped pit in Texas, a smoking bull in Nebraska or a ten foot tall fire-breathing dragon pit in California's Mohave Desert -- BBQ aficionados are making it their goal to create the most epic BBQ pits ever. And when you add up the tens of thousands of dollars it costs to create these tricked-out pits you'll see why they're smoking circles around their competition.

UNITED STATES OF BACON - Back-to-back premieres on Friday, May 31 at 10 & 10:30pm E/P

Have no fear, bacon is here! With Americans gobbling up more than 1.7 billion pounds of bacon each year, Destination America brings bacon buffs what they crave with the following special episodes hosted by Chef Todd Fisher:

· The Big Filler Burger In Portland, Oregon, a city so rich in pig it could be known as Porkland, Todd's first stop is Giant Drive-In, a mom-and-pop burger joint with a monstrous sandwich known as the Filler that includes two hamburger patties, bacon, cheese, ham and egg yolk. Next he visits Otto's Sausage, an 80-year-old kitchen with a one-of-a-kind smokehouse handed down through four generations. Todd's final stop is Lardo, a restaurant dedicated to all things pig, including the Porchetta Sandwich: pork belly layered with garlic, rosemary, fennel, and herbs. Location: Portland, OR

· Bacon Seahorse Todd travels to Pittsburgh, a city where hogaholics serve up bacon-inspired dishes all over town. First stop is Wingharts Burger and Whiskey Bar, where Todd samples a pizza fully loaded with fries, chili and "hippie bacon" before capping off the meal with beer bacon funnel cake. Next, Todd heads to Harris Grill, a Pittsburgh institution that turns into a bacon heaven every Tuesday night when it unloads free baskets of bacon and inventive dishes like the deep-fried bacon "seahorse." Todd's final stop lands him at Penn Brewery, where he comes face to face with the biggest, baddest, most stacked B.L.T. he has ever seen! Location: Pittsburgh, PA

BBQ PITMASTERS - All-new season premieres Sunday, June 2 at 9 PM E/P

The hit series is back with the deeply competitive spirit of the American BBQ subculture all summer long! Destination America has doubled the number of competitors and upped the ante teaming with Kansas City Barbecue Society (KCBS) and Memphis BBQ Network (MBN) to shine the spotlight on the best BBQ festivals across the country -- from Austin, TX to New York City -- in the new season of BBQ PITMASTERS. We'll follow a revolving cast of the best chefs on the circuit through a full season of high-profile barbecue competitions leading into an unprecedented three semifinals. Returning judges include the "winningest" man in BBQ, Myron Mixon, alongside Tuffy Stone, and each week will feature a new twist with a surprise guest judge. At the end of the season, only one will be crowned the ultimate BBQ Pitmaster, earning all the bragging rights, $50,000 from Kingsford Charcoal, and entry into the Kingsford Invitational.

In celebration of MEAT WEEK, Destination America has partnered with the following organizations to bring the best of barbecue and bacon to cities across America this summer:

· Rand McNally - Fans can indulge their love of 'cue in so many ways this summer, including a customized cross-country road trip from Rand McNally which features the favorite restaurants of judges Myron Mixon and Tuffy Stone, available via emails and a link to the Rand McNally blog from Destination America site.

· Grubwithus - Viewers in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, DC and Tuffy Stone's hometown of Richmond, VA can visit www.Grubwithus.com to find information on local BBQ viewing parties, offering unique BBQ dining experiences.

· The network has also partnered with Nfuse 360 Marketing to be presenting sponsor of the Big Bite Tour where BBQ enthusiasts can enjoy the most interactive, nationwide BBQ-fueled event all summer long: www.destinationamerica.com/bbqpitmasters

About Destination America

Destination America is the only network to celebrate the people, places, and stories of the United States. The inclusive network targeting Adults 25-54 is available in 60 million homes, emblazoning television screens with the grit and tenacity, honesty and work ethic, humor and adventurousness that characterize our nation. Destination America features travel, food, adventure, home, and natural history, with original series like BBQ Pitmasters, United States of Bacon, A Haunting, Epic, and Buying Alaska. For more information, please visit DestinationAmerica.com, facebook.com/DestinationAmerica, or twitter.com/DestAmerica. Destination America is part of Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), the world's #1 nonfiction media company reaching more than 1.8 billion cumulative subscribers in 218 countries and territories.