DESTINATION AMERICA RINGS THE BACKYARD BBQ DINNER BELL WITH A SERVING OF "MEAT WEEK" BEGINNING ON MEMORIAL DAY

Week-Long Programming Event Features Premiere of All-New Series BBQ PIT WARS and Heavenly One-Hour BBQ Special HOLY SMOKERS

(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 26, the week kicks off with a marathon of the smokin' hot series, BBQ PITMASTERS followed by a one-hour sneak peek of the new series BBQ PIT WARS, featuring top pitmasters in the country going head-to-head on the national BBQ circuit to prove who is a bona-fide BBQ black belt. The line-up of sizzling new shows also includes all-new special HOLY SMOKERS, which highlights church-based BBQ competition, and the one-hour special FOOD WARS: BBQ. The week is topped off with another helping of new episodes of BBQ PITMASTERS and BBQ PIT WARS on Saturday May 31 at 9/8c and 10/9c respectively.

"This Memorial Day we encourage viewers to 'Eat. Meat. Repeat.' What better way to kick off summer than firing up the grills and enjoying true American cuisine," said Marc Etkind, general manager of Destination America. "MEAT WEEK is a nod to our country's backyard warriors who fan the flames in their personal BBQs to share the upcoming season of meat with friends and family."

The MEAT WEEK programming line-up is as follows:

BBQ PIT WARS - New Series Sneak Peek Premieres Monday, May 26 at 10/9c It's the All-Stars of BBQ! Follow four noted BBQ teams - including Jack's Old South led by the "winningest man in BBQ," Myron Mixon, 20+-year vet of 'cue competition, Stump McDowell of Stump's BBQ, top competitor, Moe Cason of Ponderosa BBQ, and Michael Character of Character BBQ, as they compete against one another to reveal what it's really like when you're in the high 'steaks' heat of battle. The teams go head-to-head at stops along the eastern seaboard including Rocky Mount, NC for the "Eastern Carolina BBQ Throwdown," Hawkinsville, GA for the "Hawkinsville Harvest Fest & BBQ Championship," Vienna, GA for the "Big Pig Jig," and Jacksonville, FL for the "1st Annual Smokin' Flamingo BBQ Festival."

HOLY SMOKERS - One-Hour Special Premieres Tuesday, May 27 at 10/9c They pray hard and compete even harder. Meet the folks who are as passionate about their BBQ as they are faithful to their church. This competition takes smoked meats to heavenly heights when the holiest of expert BBQ judges descend on a small town church gathering offering the congregation a chance to win money for their favorite local charity. Don't let their benevolent beliefs fool you, these competitors aren't afraid to talk smack as they attempt to smoke the competition!

FOOD WARS: BBQ - One-Hour Special Premieres Wednesday, May 28 at 10/9c More than a delicious meal, barbecue is an entire way of life for many. And while everyone agrees that barbecue rates as one of America's favorite entrees, regional wars rage over the proper ways to prepare it. Food critics concur that there are four barbecue meccas in the United States: the Carolinas, Memphis, Kansas City and Texas, but there's a heated debate over who takes top prize for BBQ ribs, beef brisket and pork. On a mission to tackle this meaty question, we hit the road to sink our teeth into some of the most delectable barbecue in the nation. And don't miss the scorching dispute over who is the true Baron of Brisket, Prince of Pork and Squire of Sauce. So tuck in your napkin, pull up a plate and get ready to rumble-because this will get messy... it's a BBQ food fight!

BBQ PITMASTERS - "Ribs, Ribs and More Ribs" Premieres Saturday, May 31 at 9/8c The new season showcases a fierce competition among the best in regional BBQ - from Georgia, Texas, North Carolina, Memphis and of course, Kansas City - with teams competing for a spot in a final cook-off in which the winner boasts the ultimate barbecue bragging rights, a $50,000 cash prize from Kingsford Charcoal, and entry into the prestigious Kingsford Invitational. Each week, judges Myron Mixon, Tuffy Stone and Moe Cason decide the competitors' fates by blind-tasting the smoked creations to determine who is worthy of being crowned the ultimate Pitmaster in their region In this week's episode, it's the semi-finals and the heat is on for three BBQ teams - at the end, only one will remain in the running for Kingsford BBQ Pitmasters Grand Champion.

BBQ PIT WARS - "Georgia Harvest Fest & BBQ Championship" Premieres Saturday, May 31 at 10/9c *REGULAR TIMESLOT PREMIERE Episode Description TBA

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 nearly 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; A Haunting; Mountain Monsters; Buying Alaska; Buying the Bayou; and Railroad 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 2 billion cumulative subscribers in 220 countries and territories.