A listing of events happening around the country involving Barbecue, Blues and Brews—as well as other live music, cornhole, motorcycles……

As we roll into fall, I have discovered there are so many events going on across the country. I continue to search for more comprehensive listings, and many of the festivals and competitions below are also state championships. Here’s what’s happening in the next two months:

Aug 31-Sep 5
Nugget Rib Cook-off | Sparks, NV

Sep 1-3
Vernon Barbecue Cook Off | Vernon, IN

Sep 2-3
6th Annual Smokin’ in the Bogs BBQ Festival | Warrens, WI

Sep 2-3
Beach Boogie & BBQ Festival | Myrtle Beach, SC

Sep 2-3
Rockin’ Apples Festival | Appleton City, MO

Sep 2-3
Low Country Hog Fest | Charleston, SC

Sep 2-4
Bedford Blues & BBQ Festival | Bedford, TX

Sep 3-4
Big Muddy Brew ‘N Que | Winona, MN

Sep 3-4
Blues Views & BBQ Festival | Westport, CT

Sep 3-4
Finger Lakes Fire & Smoke | Geneva, NY

Sep 3-4
Septemberfest BBQ & Rib-eye Steak Cookoff | Omaha, NE

Sep 9-10
Apple & BBQ Festival | Hart, MI

Sep 9-10
Bikes, Blues and BBQ Festival | Douglas, GA

Sep 9-10
Colorado Pork & Hops Challenge | Grand Junction, CO

Sep 9-10
Fire Up Hope BBQ Festival | Devon, PA

Sep 9-10
Independence Fire & Ice BBQ | Independence, MO

Sep 9-10
International Goat Days Championship BBQ | Millington, TN

Sep 9-10
Puckaway Pigfest | Montello, WI

Sep 9-10
Recovery Fest BBQ Cookoff | Richmond, VA

Sep 9-10
Ribs, Rods & Rock ‘n Roll | Vermillion, SD

Sep 9-10
Riverfest Barbecue Competition | Decatur, AL

Sep 9-10
Tony Stone Cookeville Cookoff | Cookeville, TN

Sep 9-11
Great Maine BBQ Challenge | Southwest Harbor, ME

Sep 9-11
Kentucky State BBQ Festival | Danville, KY

Sep 10
Bands, Brews and Barbecue | Manassas, VA

Sep 10
Beak Week BBQ Challenge | Goldsboro, NC

Sep 10
Derby BBQ Festival | Derby, KS

Sep 10
Oldies but Goodies Fest & BBQ Cook-off | West Baton Rouge, LA

Sep 15-18
Rock ‘N Rib Festival | Tulsa, OK

Sep 16-17
Bands & BBQ at the Point | Carrollton, KY

Sep 16-17
Battle of the Brisket | Mission, KS

Sep 16-17
BBQ & Huckster’s Day | Butler, MO

Sep 16-17
Cherokee Strip Cook-Off | Ponca City, OK

Sep 16-17
Jesse James Barbeque Cook-Out | Kearney, MO

Sep 16-17
King Turkey Day Smokin’ Gobbler Barbecue Cook-Off | Worthington, MN

Sep 16-17
Nebo Fall Festival BBQ | Nebo, KY

Sep 16-17
Smoke on the Water Arkansas BBQ Championship | Pine Bluff, AR

Sep 16-17
Smokin Pig BBQ Fest | Lake City, FL

Sep 16-17
Tilley’s Biker Blues & BBQ Rally | Salisbury, NC

Sep 16-17
Tri-City BBQ Fest | Denison, IA

Sep 16-18
Que by the Sea BBQ Competition & Festival | Seaside Heights, NJ

Sep 17
Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival | Leesburg, VA

Sep 17
Currituck Heritage Festival Bulls & BBQ | Powells Point, NC

Sep 17
Hot Qs & Cold Brews BBQ | Oroville, CA

Sep 17
Rock’N Brews and BBQ | Nampa, ID

Sep 17
Rock’n Ribville | Lawrenceville, GA

Sep 17-18
Boats & Bones | Kimberling City, MO

Sep 17-18
Mazomanie BBQ Fest | Mazomanie, WI

Sep 22-24
Murphysboro BBQ Cookoff | Murphysboro, IL

Sep 23-24
BBQ on the Hill | Blue Island, IL

Sep 23-24
Bikes, Blues & BBQ | Fayetteville, AR

Sep 23-24
Brew, Barbecue & Oysters Too! | Cape Charles, VA

Sep 23-24
Butts and Beans BBQ Challenge | Newton, NC

Sep 23-24
Carnivores Classic | Missoula, MT

Sep 23-24
Grillin & Chillin BBQ Cookoff | Owensboro, KY

Sep 23-24
Jammin’ in J.C. Blues & Barbecue Festival | Junction City, KS

Sep 23-24
Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship | Shawnee, KS

Sep 23-24
Smoke in the Park | Lemoyne, PA

Sep 23-24
Smoking Butts and Tires | Conyers, GA

Sep 23-24
Smoking in the Golden Valley | Clinton, MO

Sep 23-25
Oinktoberfest BBQ Cookoff | Clarence, NY

Sep 23-25
PortoberQue | Dothan, AL

Sep 23-25
Red White and Que | Cresskill, NJ

Sep 24
BB Brew for Hope | Fort Collins, CO

Sep 24
Bryants’s Buzzin’ BBQ Bash | Bryant, AR

Sep 24
Cave Spring Pig-Out | Cave Spring, GA

Sep 24
Muletown BBQ Cook-off | Columbia, TN

Sep 29-Oct 1
Hog Wild BBQ Festival | Brookhaven, MS

Sep 29-Oct 1
Jim Beam BBQ Classic | Springfield, KY

Sep 30-Oct 1
Roast~n~Boast BBQ Cooking Competition | Columbus, MS

Sep 30-Oct 1
Smokin’ in Sapula | Sapula, OK

Sep 30-Oct 1
Squealin’ on the Square | Laurens, SC

Sep 30-Oct 1
Smoke on the Water | Guntersville, AL

Oct 1
Downtown Jonesboro BBQ Festival | Jonesboro, AR

Oct 1
Que & Cruz | Louisa, VA

Oct 7
Cookin on the Kaw Blues & BBQ Festival | De Soto, KS

Oct 7-8
Bacon Brew & Que | Tuscaloosa, AL

Oct 7-8
BBQ & Blues on the Levee | Helena, AR

Oct 7-8
Bliss Brews & Que | Ft. Bliss, TX

Oct 7-8
Downtown BBQ Showdown | Hattiesburg, MS

Oct 7-8
Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down | Rocky Mount, NC

Oct 7-8
Go Hog Wild Arkansas State Championship BBQ Cookoff | Sheridan, AR

Oct 7-8
Keystone Classic BBQ State Championship | Harrisburg, PA

Oct 7-8
The Real Squeal BBQ & Music Festival | Lyons, GA

Oct 7-9
PigMania Marion BBQ & Blues Festival | Marion, OH

Oct 7-9
Smoke on the Water BBQ Championship | Atlantic City, NJ

Oct 8
Barbecue in the Badlands | Glendive, MT

Oct 8
Dana Point State BBQ Competition | Dana Point, CA

Oct 8-9
Leavenworth Break-Out BBQ Contest | Leavenworth, KS

Oct 8-9
Riverside Blues, Brews & BBQ | Greenfield, MA

Oct 13-15
Big Buffalo Crossing BBQ Cook-Off | Munfordville, KY

Oct 14-15
Anchor City BBQ Contest | Centralia, MO

Oct 14-15
Barn Burner Bar-B-Q | Libertyville, IL

Oct 14-15
Central Illinois Bragging Rights KCBS & Backyard BBQ Competition | Arthur, IL

Oct 14-15
Harper County Bullseye Barbecue | Harper, KS

Oct 14-15
Mid-South Barbecue Festival | Mount Pleasant, TN

Oct 14-15
Ohio Smoked Meat & BBQ Festival | Nelsonville, OH

Oct 14-15
Smoking in the Foothills Barbecue Competition and Festival | Lenoir, NC

Oct 14-16
Crescent City Blues and BBQ Festival | New Orleans, LA

Oct 14-16
Gulf Coast Rhythm and Ribfest | Bradenton, FL

Oct 15
Balloons, Blues & BBQ | Parsons, KS

Oct 15
Shenandoah Autumnfest/BBQ Fest | Woodstock, VA

Oct 15
Smoke on the River | Sacramento, CA

Oct 21-22
Best of the Midwest BBQ Cook-off | Union Grove, WI

Oct 21-22
Blaze-Off and Senior Q | Independence, MO

Oct 21-22
Boo-B-Que | Rehobeth Beach, DE

Oct 21-22
Border War BBQ | Osawatomie, KS

Oct 21-22
Smokin’ the Fort BBQ & Bluegrass Festival | Fort Gibson, OK

Oct 22
Barbecue Festival | Lexington, NC

Oct 22
Jack Daniel’s World Championship Barbecue Invitational | Lynchburg, TN

Oct 22
San Francisco BBQ Festival | San Francisco, CA

Oct 26-30
American Royal World Series of Barbecue | Kansas City, KS

Oct 28-29
Dickson County Smoke Fest | Dickson, TN

Oct 28-30
Smoke on the Water BBQ Championship | Laughlin, NV

Oct 29
Rock Springs BBQ Bash | Black Canyon City, AZ

Oct 30
Dallas Kosher BBQ Championship | Dallas, TX

Oct 30
Texas Monthly BBQ Fest | Austin, TX


Pass along any festivals or competitions you know about and I’ll add it to my (growing) list. Send festival name, date (if possible) and URL.