A listing of events happening around the country involving Barbecue, Blues and Brews—as well as other live music, cornhole, motorcycles……
This is continuing to be a huge list of events, so as the peak of summer approaches there are plenty of options for some good BBQ, beer and [often] live music! [Links in festival names]
Jul 1
Sam’s Club National BBQ Tour | Bartlett, TN
Jul 1-2
I-39 Smokin’ BBQ and Car Show | Minonk, IL
Jul 1-3
Pork and Brew BBQ State Championship | Rio Rancho, NM
Jul 6-8
Festival of Discovery: BBQ & Blues | Greenwood, SC
Jul 7-8
Bordertown Bash | Fort Smith, AR
Jul 7-8
Johnson County Fair BBQ Challenge | Warrensburg, MO
Jul 7-8
Ohio Veterans BBQ Cook-Off | Kettering, OH
Jul 7-8
Wellsville BBQ Cookoff | Wellsville, MO
Jul 7-8
Wine Country Big Q Competition and Festival | Petaluma, CA
Jul 7-9
Bicycle, Blues and BBQ | Clear Lake, IA
Jul 7-9
I Love Barbecue & Music Festival | Lake Placid, NY
Jul 7-9
New Jersey State Barbecue Championship | North Wildwood, NJ
Jul 8
Sam’s Club National BBQ Tour | Indianapolis, IN
Jul 8
South Sound BBQ Festival | Lacey, WA
Jul 8-9
Cumberland Plateau BBQ Cookoff & Cruise-In | Jamestown, TN
Jul 8-9
Red, White, Blue & Que | Wheatland, MO
Jul 8-10
New Jersey State Barbecue Championship | N. Wildwood, NJ
Jul 14-15
BBQ ’Loo & Blues Too | Waterloo, IA
Jul 14-15
Chillin’ & Grillin’ in the Glades | Wise, VA
Jul 14-15
Cookin’ on Kampeska | Watertown, SD
Jul 14-15
Georgia Smithfield Guinea Pig | Cummings, GA
[Note: not much info. available by the time I published this]
Jul 14-15
Gold Ribbin’ BBQ Fest of Greater Green Bay | Green Bay, WI
Jul 14-15
Keepers of the Fire BBQ & State Championship | Mayetta, KS
Jul 14-15
Spruce Pine BBQ Championship & Bluegrass Festival | Spruce Pine, NC
Jul 14-15
Wolf Creek WildBlue BBQ | Burlington, KS
Jul 14-16
Windy City Smokeout | Chicago, IL
Jul 15
Sam’s Club National BBQ Tour | South Bend, IN
Jul 15-16
Rotary Ribs Rhythm & Blues Festival | Auburn, NY
Jul 16
Smokin’ at the Ballpark | Old Orchard Beach, ME
Jul 21-22
BBQ & Brews | Birch Run, MI
Jul 21-22
Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown | Peoria, IL
Jul 21-22
Louisville Blues, Brews & BBQ Festival | Louisville, KY
Jul 21-22
RiverFest Red White and Que | Bellevue, NE
Jul 21-22
Smoke on the Mountain | Galax, VA
Jul 21-22
Smokin’ in the Woods | Kingdom City, MO
Jul 21-22
Up in Smoke BBQ Bash | Mason City, IA
Jul 21-22
Western NC BBQ Festival | Maggie Valley, NC
Jul 21-23
Jazz & Rib Fest | Columbus, OH
Jul 22
Arvada on Tap—A Craft Beer & BBQ Fest | Arvada, CO
Jul 22
Sam’s Club National BBQ Tour | Eagan, MN
Jul 22
Smoke on the Square | Vernon, IN
Jul 28-29
BBQ-Fest Cooking Contest | Dyersburg, TN
Jul 28-29
Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival | Cary, NC
Jul 28-29
Blues & Bones Festival | Angels Camp, CA
Jul 28-29
Cotton Pickin BBQ Cook-Off | Hartselle, AL
Jul 28-29
Dodge City Days National Beef Smokin’ Saddles BBQ Contest | Dodge City, KS
Jul 28-29
EffingHAM-JAM | Effingham, IL
Jul 28-29
Fire on the Mountain | Leburn, KY
Jul 28-29
Great Adirondack BBQ Festival | Old Forge, NY
Jul 28-29
Racing for the BBQ | Lee’s Summit, MO
Jul 28-29
Smokin Hot Cars & BBQ | Iola, KS
Jul 28-29
Smoke in the Grove | Spring Grove, PA
Jul 28-29
Smoke on the Shrine Lake BBQ Competition & Bluegrass Festival | Summerville, SC
Jul 29
Binghamton BBQ Bash | Johnson City, NY
Jul 29
Blues & BBQ for Better Housing Block Party | Arvada, CO
Jul 29
Sam’s Club National BBQ Tour | Des Moines, IA
Jul 29
Vista BBQ Classic | Vista, CA
Jul 29-30
Dodge City Days Smokin Saddles BBQ Contest | Dodge City, KS
Jul 29-30
Gilroy Garlic Festival Garli-Que Challenge | Gilroy, CA
Jul 29-30
Harpoon Brewery BBQ Festival | Windsor, VT
Aug 4-5
All American BBQ Throwdown | Westland, MI
Aug 4-5
Arena-Que BBQ Championship of Nebraska | Ralston, NE
Aug 4-5
Badger Brews & Que | Manitowoc, WI
Aug 4-5
Beat the Heat BBQ, Brews & Chili | Alamosa, CO
Aug 4-5
Dillard Bluegrass + Barbecue Festival | Dillard, GA
Aug 4-5
Laurie Hillbilly BBQ | Laurie, MO
Aug 4-5
Omaha Steaks Nebraska BBQ Championship | Ralston, NE
Aug 4-5
Pigs & Pedals | Asheboro, NC
Aug 4-5
Rossville Tall Corn Festival BBQ Contest | Rossville, KS
Aug 4-5
San Luis Valley Beat the Heat BBQ | Alamosa, CO
Aug 4-5
Smithfield BBQ Classic | Smithfield, VA
Aug 4-6
Pit at the Park | Macungie, PA
Aug 5
Holy Smokes BBQ Competition | Cincinnati, OH
Aug 5
Sam’s Club National BBQ Tour | South Windsor, CT
Aug 5-6
Los Angeles BBQ & Craft Brews Festival | Los Angeles, CA
Aug 5-6
Route 66 BBQ Blast/Guns & Hoses BBQ Showdown | Eureka, MO
Aug 5-7
Ribs, Pigs & Watermelons Beer Festival & Pro BBQ Competition | Huntington Beach, CA
Aug 11-12
CASA’s Grab, Root and Growl BBQ | Woodward, OK
Aug 11-12
Maryland State BBQ Bash | Bel Air, MD
Aug 11-12
Mountain High BBQ Festival & Car Show | Franklin, NC
Aug 11-12
Q’ing to Cure Childhood Cancer BBQ Cook-Off | Conroe, TX
Aug 11-12
Smokin’ in McMinnville | McMinnville, TN
Aug 11-12
Smokin’ Trackside BBQ & Brew Bash | Winston, MO
Aug 11-13
Northwoods Triple Crown Grill Masters Challenge | Antigo, WI
Aug 12
Bands, Brews & BBQ Throwdown | Ceres, CA
Aug 12
Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival | Virginia Beach, VA
Aug 12
Decatur BBQ Blues & Bluegrass Festival | Oakhurst, GA
Aug 12
Lake Minnetonka BBQ & Beer Fest | Tonka Bay, MN
Aug 12
Sam’s Club National BBQ Tour | N. Charleston, SC
Aug 12
Seward County Fair Rib Rally | Seward, NE
Aug 12
Vine St BBQ Competition | Park Ridge, IL
Aug 13
New London’s Best BBQ Chef Competition | New London, CT
Aug 17-19
Smokin’ on Oak | Bonner Springs, KS
Aug 18-19
Big Bad KCBS BBQ Battle | Boydton, VA
Aug 18-19
BBQ on the River | Excelsior Springs, MO
Aug 18-19
Cape Jaycees BBQ Fest | Cape Girardeau, MO
Aug 18-19
Lassen BBQ Cookoff | Susanville, CA
Aug 18-19
Madison Ribberfest | Madison, IN
Aug 18-19
Pepsi Wyoming State BBQ Championship and Bluegrass Festival | Worland, WY
Aug 18-19
SMSU Smokefest | Marshall, MN
Aug 18-20
Flint Hills Beef Fest BBQ Contest | Emporia, KS
Aug 18-20
Hudson Bay Heritage Days BBQ Cookoff | DuPont, WA
Aug 18-20
Hudson Valley Ribfest | New Paltz, NY
Aug 18-20
Long Beach BBQ Festival | Long Beach, CA
Aug 18-20
McHenry Rotary Blues, Brews, BBQ | McHenry, IL
Aug 19
Sam’s Club National BBQ Tour | Asheville, NC
Aug 19-20
Oaktown Throwdown BBQ (part of Art + Soul Oakland) | Oakland, CA
Aug 20
Blues & Bones Festival | Eagle, ID
Aug 20
Del Mar BBQ State Championship | Del Mar, CA
Aug 25-26
Montana Pitmaster Classic | Bozeman, MT
Aug 25-26
Death’s Door Bar-B-Q | Washington Island, WI
Aug 25-26
Grill Games | Kenosha, WI
Aug 25-26
Half Way to St. Pat’s BBQ Contest | Emmetsburg, IA
Aug 25-26
Hott Butts BBQ Competition | Boonville, MO
Aug 25-26
Kearney BBQ on the Bricks | Kearney, NE
Aug 25-26
New Holland Summer Fest | New Holland, PA
Aug 25-26
Pigs & Peaches BBQ Festival | Kennesaw, GA
Aug 25-26
Raider Red Meats BBQ & Ribeye Championship | Lubbock, TX
Aug 25-26
Roots Festival | Paola, KS
Aug 25-26
Wine, Brew & BBQ | Hill City, SD
Aug 25-27
Big Island BBQ Festival | Albert Lea, MN
Aug 26
Blues & Bones Festival | Eagle, ID
Aug 26
Great Americana BBQ Festival | Franklin, TN
Aug 26
Great Catskill Mountain BBQ Fest | Fleischmanns, NY
Aug 26
Grills ‘n’ Grilles | Penn Valley, CA
Aug 26
Sam’s Club National BBQ Tour | Richmond, VA
Aug 26
Wild West BBQ Shoot Out | Wendover, NV
Aug 27
Hava NaGrilla Kosher Smoke BBQ Festival | Wynnewood, PA
Aug 27
Ribstock4 | Marne, MI
Aug 30-Sep 4
Nugget Rib Cook-off | Sparks, NV
Aug 31-Sep 3
American Royal World Series of Barbecue | Kansas City, KS
