A listing of events happening around the country involving Barbecue, Blues and Brews—as well as other live music, cornhole, motorcycles……
Despite some festivals that have been cancelled, there are new ones in the growing lineup of events as we go through the peak of summer. [Links in festival names]
Jul 6-7
Back to Mayberry | Rodney, IA
Jul 6-7
Ceramic City Jazz, Blues & BBQ Festival | East Liverpool, OH
Jul 6-7
Johnson County Fair BBQ Challenge | Warrensburg, MO
Jul 6-7
Ocean State BBQ Festival | Providence, RI
Jul 6-8
Bicycle, Blues and BBQ | Clear Lake, IA
Jul 6-8
I Love Barbecue & Music Festival | Lake Placid, NY
Jul 7
South Sound BBQ Festival | Lacey, WA
Jul 7
Wine Country Big Q Competition and Festival | Petaluma, CA
Jul 12-14
Festival of Discovery: BBQ & Blues | Greenwood, SC
Jul 13-14
Bordertown Bash | Fort Smith, AR
Jul 13-14
Cameron Elks BBQ Cook Off | Cameron, MO
Jul 13-14
Keepers of the Fire BBQ & State Championship | Mayetta, KS
Jul 13-14
Ohio Veterans BBQ Cook-Off | Kettering, OH
Jul 13-15
Gold Ribbin’ BBQ Fest of Greater Green Bay | Green Bay, WI
Jul 13-15
New Jersey State Barbecue Championship | North Wildwood, NJ
Jul 13-15
The Great Northwest BBQ & Beer Festival | Coeur d’ Alene, ID
Jul 13-15
Windy City Smokeout | Chicago, IL
Jul 14
Binghamton BBQ Bash | Johnson City, NY
Jul 14
Clayton BBQ Cookoff | Clayton, CA
Jul 14
Happy Grillmore BBQ Competition | Draper, UT
Jul 14
Vista BBQ Classic | Vista, CA
Jul 14-15
Cumberland Plateau BBQ Cookoff & Cruise-In | Jamestown, TN
Jul 20-21
BBQ-Fest Cooking Contest | Dyersburg, TN
Jul 20-21
BBQ ’Loo & Blues Too | Waterloo, IA
Jul 20-21
Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown | Peoria, IL
Jul 20-21
Chillin’ & Grillin’ in the Glades | Wise, VA
Jul 20-21
Cookin’ on Kampeska | Watertown, SD
Jul 20-21
Louisville Blues, Brews & BBQ Festival | Louisville, KY
Jul 20-21
Que’n in Cumming/National Pitmaster Championship | Cumming, GA
Jul 20-21
Smoke on the Mountain | Galax, VA
Jul 20-21
Spruce Pine BBQ Championship & Bluegrass Festival | Spruce Pine, NC
Jul 20-22
Jazz & Rib Fest | Columbus, OH
Jul 21
Arvada on Tap—A Craft Beer & BBQ Fest | Arvada, CO
Jul 21
Blues & BBQ for Better Housing Block Party | Arvada, CO
Jul 21-22
Rotary Ribs Rhythm & Blues Festival | Auburn, NY
Jul 21-22
Smoke on the Square | Vernon, IN
Jul 27-28
Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival | Cary, NC
Jul 27-28
Cotton Pickin BBQ Cook-Off | Hartselle, AL
Jul 27-28
Dodge City Days National Beef Smokin’ Saddles BBQ Contest | Dodge City, KS
Jul 27-28
EffingHAM-JAM | Effingham, IL
Jul 27-28
Fire on the Mountain | Leburn, KY
Jul 27-28
Racing for the BBQ | Lee’s Summit, MO
Jul 27-28
Smokin Hot Cars & BBQ | Iola, KS
Jul 27-28
Smoke in the Grove | Spring Grove, PA
Jul 27-29
Gilroy Garlic Festival Garli-Que Challenge | Gilroy, CA
Jul 28
All Fired Up for Kids BBQ Contest | El Reno, OK
Jul 28
BBBrew for Hope | Fort Collins, CO
Jul 28-29
Harpoon Brewery BBQ Festival | Windsor, VT
Aug 2-5
All American BBQ Throwdown | Westland, MI
Aug 3-4
Beat the Heat BBQ, Brews & Chili | Alamosa, CO
Aug 3-4
Dillard Bluegrass + Barbecue Festival | Dillard, GA
Aug 3-4
Laurie Hillbilly BBQ | Laurie, MO
Aug 3-4
Pigs & Pedals | Asheboro, NC
Aug 4
Badger Brews & Que | Manitowoc, WI
Aug 4
Holy Smokes BBQ Competition | Cincinnati, OH
Aug 4
Route 66 BBQ Blast/Guns & Hoses BBQ Showdown | Eureka, MO
Aug 4-5
Pit at the Park | Macungie, PA
Aug 4-5
Red, White, Blue & Que | Wheatland, MO
Aug 10-11
Bands, Brews & BBQ Throwdown | Ceres, CA
Aug 10-11
Farm B Que | Spirit Lake, IA
Aug 10-11
Bands, Brews & BBQ Throwdown | Ceres, CA
Aug 10-11
Maryland State BBQ Bash | Bel Air, MD
Aug 10-11
Mountain High BBQ Festival & Car Show | Franklin, NC
Aug 10-11
Rt. 66 BBQ Throwdown | Springfield, MO
Aug 10-11
Smokin’ in McMinnville | McMinnville, TN
Aug 10-11
Smokin’ Trackside BBQ & Brew Bash | Winston, MO
Aug 10-11
State BBQ Championship of Nebraska | Arlington, NE
Aug 10-12
Northwoods Triple Crown Grill Masters Challenge | Antigo, WI
Aug 11
Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival | Virginia Beach, VA
Aug 11
Big Blue Barbecue | Shelbyville, IN
Aug 11
CASA’s Grab, Root and Growl BBQ | Woodward, OK
Aug 11
Decatur BBQ Blues & Bluegrass Festival | Oakhurst, GA
Aug 11
New London’s Best BBQ Chef Competition | New London, CT
Aug 11
Seward County Fair Rib Rally | Seward, NE
Aug 12
Thrillin & Grillin | Saco, ME
Aug 17-18
BBQ on the River | Excelsior Springs, MO
Aug 17-18
Bordertown BBQ Brawl | Sault Ste Marie, MI
Aug 17-18
Cape Jaycees BBQ Fest | Cape Girardeau, MO
Aug 17-18
Downtown BBQ Showdown | Hattiesburg, MS
Aug 17-18
Madison Ribberfest | Madison, IN
Aug 17-18
Pikes Peak BBQ Showdown Competition | Colorado Springs, CO
Aug 17-18
Smokin on the Dock of the Bay BBQ Competition | Crisfield, MD
Aug 17-18
SMSU Smokefest | Marshall, MN
Aug 17-18
Wyoming State BBQ Championship and Bluegrass Festival | Worland, WY
Aug 17-19
Hudson Bay Heritage Days BBQ Cookoff | DuPont, WA
Aug 17-19
Hudson Valley Ribfest | New Paltz, NY
Aug 17-19
Long Beach BBQ Festival | Long Beach, CA
Aug 17-19
McHenry Rotary Blues, Brews, BBQ | McHenry, IL
Aug 18
Lassen BBQ Cookoff | Susanville, CA
Aug 18
Vine St BBQ Competition | Park Ridge, IL
Aug 19
Turf & Surf BBQ | Del Mar, CA
Aug 24-25
Big Island BBQ Festival | Albert Lea, MN
Aug 24-25
Montana Pitmaster Classic | Bozeman, MT
Aug 24-25
New Holland Summer Fest | New Holland, PA
Aug 24-25
Paola Roots Festival | Paola, KS
Aug 24-25
Pigs & Peaches BBQ Festival | Kennesaw, GA
Aug 24-25
Raider Red Meats BBQ & Ribeye Championship | Lubbock, TX
Aug 24-25
Western Legends Round-Up BBQ Cook-Off | Kanab, UT
Aug 24-25
Wine, Brew & BBQ | Hill City, SD
Aug 24-26
Bands, Brews & BBQs (aka Grill Games) | Kenosha, WI
Aug 25
Bacon Brew & Que | Tuscaloosa, AL
Aug 25
Blues & Bones Festival | Eagle, ID
Aug 25
Death’s Door Bar-B-Q | Washington Island, WI
Aug 25
Great Americana BBQ Festival | Franklin, TN
Aug 25
Indiana Bacon Festival & Master Series Contest | Delphi, IN
Aug 25
Kearney BBQ on the Bricks | Kearney, NE
Aug 25
Smoke on the Water BBQ Competition | Hammondsport, NY
Aug 25
Wild West BBQ Shoot Out | Wendover, NV
Aug 25-26
Half Way to St. Pat’s BBQ Contest | Emmetsburg, IA
Aug 25-26
Smokin on the Rez BBQ & Music Festival | Brandon, MS
Aug 26
Blues & Bones Festival | Eagle, ID
Aug 26
Hava NaGrilla Kosher Smoke BBQ Festival | Wynnewood, PA
Aug 29-Sep 3
Nugget Rib Cook-off | Sparks, NV
Aug 30-Sep 1
Smokin’ in the Bogs | Warrens, WI
Aug 30-Sep 3
Heinz Field Kickoff and Rib Festival | Pittsburgh, PA
Aug 31-Sep 1
PigMania: Lebanon | Lebanon, OH
Aug 31-Sep 1
Smokin’ in the Bogs | Warrens, WI
Aug 31-Sep 2
Bedford Blues & BBQ Festival | Bedford, TX