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The Best BBQ Festivals in the Southeast

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The Best BBQ Festivals in the Southeast

The Southeast does more than eat barbecue. People here compete over it. They debate it. Many of the largest BBQ festivals in the region also raise money for good causes. This guide lists the BBQ festivals worth a trip in 2026. It also names the cause each festival supports.

Quick answer: The best BBQ festivals in the Southeast are the Carolina BBQ Festival in Charlotte (April), Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest (May), EGGtoberfest in Atlanta (October), Holy Smokes Lowcountry Barbecue Festival in Charleston (November), and Pensacola EggFest (November).

Carolina BBQ Festival. Charlotte, NC

When: April 17 to 18, 2026
Where: Victoria Yards, Uptown Charlotte
Cause: Operation BBQ Relief and AltruSpirit

The Carolina BBQ Festival is in its fifth year. It opens the Southeast festival season. More than 25 pitmasters serve whole hog, brisket, and other Carolina dishes. The festival theme is “Divided by Sauce, United by Coal.” The event supports Operation BBQ Relief. This nonprofit served over one million meals after Hurricanes Helene and Milton. A new 2026 partner, AltruSpirit, supports young people in Charlotte through sports programs.

Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest. Memphis, TN

When: May 13 to 16, 2026
Where: Memphis, TN
Cause: The civic mission of the Memphis in May International Festival

Memphis in May is the largest and most famous BBQ competition in the Southeast. USA Today has called it the most prestigious barbecue contest in the country. Elite teams from around the world compete for more than $145,000 in prize money. Categories include whole hog, ribs, and shoulder.

A Pensacola based team competes here every year. The team cooks as part of Team Moe Cason, led by pitmaster Big Moe Cason. Cason also serves as a celebrity judge at Pensacola EggFest. In 2023, the team placed third for Pork Shoulder. Doug Jolly, a Pensacola EggFest co-founder, said the team was proud to compete against the best teams in the world, many of them close friends. Pensacola has a direct connection to the largest stage in competitive barbecue.

EGGtoberfest. Atlanta, GA

When: Saturday, October 3, 2026, 11 AM to 3 PM
Where: Gwinnett Field, Lawrenceville, GA, near Big Green Egg’s Atlanta headquarters
Purpose: Community, not charity. This is the largest gathering of Big Green Egg cooks in the country.

Big Green Egg started EGGtoberfest in 1998 to thank loyal customers. The first event had 15 cooks. The festival now includes more than 300 Big Green Eggs and draws over 3,000 attendees each year. Cook teams follow rules similar to Pensacola EggFest. A refundable deposit reserves a spot. Big Green Egg provides the cooking equipment. Each team is asked to prepare at least 500 bite sized samples. Anyone thinking about forming a cook team for Pensacola EggFest can use EGGtoberfest as a preview.

Holy Smokes Lowcountry Barbecue Festival. Charleston, SC

When: Saturday, November 14, 2026
Where: Riverfront Park, North Charleston, SC
Cause: Hogs for the Cause and Ronald McDonald House Charities of Charleston

Holy Smokes is the only barbecue festival in Charleston. More than 40 pitmasters attend from across the country. The event is organized into four sections: Traditional, Texas, New School, and Coastal. In six years, Holy Smokes has raised more than $460,000. The funds support families whose children are being treated for pediatric brain cancer.

Holy Smokes takes place on Saturday, November 14, 2026. This falls between Pensacola EggFest’s VIP Dinner on Friday, November 13, and its main competition on Sunday, November 15. Charleston and Pensacola are on opposite sides of the Southeast. The same November weekend supports two separate charity BBQ festivals, over a thousand miles apart. Both raise money through barbecue.

Pensacola EggFest. Pensacola, FL

When: VIP Dinner on Friday, November 13, 2026. Competition on Sunday, November 15, 2026.
Where: Hadji Shrine Temple, 800 W 9 Mile Rd, Pensacola, FL 32534
Cause: Local Gulf Coast charities. Over $1,000,000 given since 2013.

Pensacola EggFest is the Gulf Coast’s own charity BBQ festival. It is 100 percent volunteer led. Cook teams compete only on Big Green Eggs. Award categories include Judges Choice, People’s Choice, First Responders, Ministry or Nonprofit, Professional Team, and Spirit of EggFest. In 13 years, the event has grown from a backyard cook off into a festival that has given more than $1,000,000 to local nonprofits.

Pensacola EggFest also has a direct link to Memphis in May. The same crew that competes each year with Team Moe Cason also runs the pits at Pensacola EggFest. It is a small event with a strong record in competitive barbecue.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the biggest BBQ festival in the Southeast?
Memphis in May’s World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest is the most prestigious BBQ competition in the country. It draws elite teams from around the world each May.

Are there BBQ festivals that support charity?
Yes. Most major Southeast BBQ festivals raise money for charity. Examples include the Carolina BBQ Festival, which supports Operation BBQ Relief, Holy Smokes Lowcountry Barbecue Festival, which supports Hogs for the Cause and Ronald McDonald House Charities of Charleston, and Pensacola EggFest, which has raised over $1,000,000 since 2013.

Is there a Big Green Egg festival?
Yes. EGGtoberfest in Atlanta is Big Green Egg’s main community festival. It features more than 300 Big Green Eggs. Pensacola EggFest is a similar event on the Gulf Coast that also uses only Big Green Eggs.

Is there a BBQ festival in Florida?
Pensacola EggFest is a 100 percent volunteer led charity BBQ festival. It is held every November at the Hadji Shrine Temple. Cook teams compete using Big Green Eggs.

When is Pensacola EggFest 2026?
The VIP Dinner is on Friday, November 13, 2026. The main competition is on Sunday, November 15, 2026. The event takes place at the Hadji Shrine Temple in Pensacola, FL.

The Best Food Festivals in Pensacola, FL

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The Best Food Festivals in Pensacola, FL

Pensacola’s food festival calendar runs nearly year-round — from spring crawfish boils to a fall lineup packed with seafood, BBQ, and Greek cuisine. If you’re planning a trip around a festival (or you just live here and don’t want to miss one), here are the five best food festivals in Pensacola, in the order they happen each year.

Quick answer: The best food festivals in Pensacola are the Pensacola Crawfish Festival (April), Pensacola Seafood Festival (September), Taste of the Beach (October), Pensacola Greek Festival (November), and Pensacola EggFest (November).

Pensacola Crawfish Festival

When: April 24–26, 2026
Where: Seville Square & Fountain Park, Downtown Pensacola

The Crawfish Festival kicks off Pensacola’s festival season with thousands of pounds of boiled crawfish shipped in fresh from Louisiana. Beyond the crawfish, expect boudin, jambalaya, étouffée, gumbo, and a full weekend of Cajun and zydeco music on the main stage. There’s even an annual crawfish eating contest if you’re up for the challenge. Admission is $5 for adults and $2 for kids ages 6–12 (5 and under free), making it one of the most affordable festivals on this list.

Pensacola Seafood Festival

When: September 25–27, 2026
Where: Bartram Park, Seville Square & Fountain Park, Downtown Pensacola

Consider this the unofficial kickoff to fall festival season. Produced by Fiesta Pensacola, the Seafood Festival is free to attend and pairs Gulf-fresh seafood with more than 150 arts and crafts vendors and three days of live music. The “Flavors of Fiesta” category (formerly Gulf to Table) features tapas-sized portions from local restaurants and caterers, so it’s an easy way to sample a lot of Pensacola’s food scene in one afternoon.

Taste of the Beach

When: October 8–11, 2026
Where: Casino Beach, Pensacola Beach

Presented by the Pensacola Beach Chamber of Commerce, Taste of the Beach puts Pensacola Beach’s restaurant scene on full display — think crab claws, mahi sliders, and frozen cocktails from local favorites like Red Fish Blue Fish, The Grand Marlin, and Flounder’s. The weekend includes a VIP dinner, live cooking challenges between local chefs, and a free concert, all with the Gulf as the backdrop.

Pensacola Greek Festival

When: November 6–8, 2026 (66th Annual)
Where: Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, Downtown Pensacola

Now in its 66th year, the Greek Festival is one of Pensacola’s longest-running traditions. Expect gyros, lamb, spanakopita, baklava, loukoumades, and Greek coffee served under a big tent, plus live traditional dancing and church tours showing off the building’s iconography and architecture. A free trolley runs from Maritime Park, since street parking is limited.

Pensacola EggFest

When: VIP Dinner Friday, November 13, 2026 · Competition Sunday, November 15, 2026
Where: Hadji Shrine Temple, 800 W 9 Mile Rd, Pensacola, FL 32534

Pensacola EggFest is Pensacola’s answer to “is there a BBQ festival around here?” — and it’s the only festival on this list that’s 100% volunteer-led and built entirely around giving back. BBQ teams and backyard cooks from across the country compete on Big Green Eggs for awards including Judges Choice, People’s Choice, First Responders, Non-Profit/Ministry, Professional: Restaurant/Food Truck, and Spirit of EggFest.

Since founding the event in 2013, co-founders Jerold Hall, Doug Jolly, and Lisa Lyter have grown EggFest from a backyard cook-off into an event that has now raised over $1,000,000 for local charities. Co-founder Doug Jolly put it simply: the heart behind EggFest — people coming together over great food to support the community — is what makes it special. An independent survey from the UWF College of Business gave EggFest a Net Promoter Score above 97, a rare number for any event of its size.

How to Choose Which Pensacola Food Festival to Visit

  • Best free festival: Pensacola Seafood Festival
  • Best for beach views: Taste of the Beach
  • Best for live music and dancing: Pensacola Greek Festival
  • Best BBQ festival: Pensacola EggFest
  • Best festival for a cause: Pensacola EggFest
  • Most affordable: Pensacola Crawfish Festival
  • Longest-running tradition: Pensacola Greek Festival (66 years)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the biggest food festival in Pensacola?
The Pensacola Seafood Festival is one of the largest, drawing crowds across three days with 150+ vendors, free admission, and live music throughout downtown.

Is there a BBQ festival in Pensacola?
Yes — Pensacola EggFest, held every November at the Hadji Shrine Temple, is Pensacola’s dedicated BBQ festival, featuring cook teams competing on Big Green Eggs.

Which Pensacola food festival supports charity?
Pensacola EggFest is a 100% volunteer-led charity event that has raised over $1,000,000 for local causes since 2013.

When is the Pensacola Crawfish Festival?
The Pensacola Crawfish Festival takes place April 24–26, 2026, at Seville Square and Fountain Park in downtown Pensacola.

When is Pensacola EggFest?
Pensacola EggFest’s 2026 VIP Dinner is Friday, November 13, and the main competition is Sunday, November 15, at the Hadji Shrine Temple.

Are there free food festivals in Pensacola?
Yes — the Pensacola Seafood Festival and Pensacola Greek Festival are both free to attend, with food and drinks available for individual purchase.

What Is Pensacola EggFest? The Story Behind #GoodFood for a #GoodCause

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Cook team celebrating at their tent with a Big Green Egg grill during Pensacola EggFest 2025
Award winning cook team  Rocket Five always brings the heat!  Pensacola EggFest 2025. Photo: Ashley Livingston.

Pensacola EggFest is a 100% volunteer-led charity BBQ cook-off held every November in Pensacola, FL. Cook teams from across the country compete on Big Green Eggs while attendees sample their food, all in support of local charities. Since it began in 2013, Pensacola EggFest has raised over $1,000,000 for causes serving families right here in our community.

How Pensacola EggFest Started

Pensacola EggFest was founded in 2013 by Jerold Hall, Doug Jolly, and Lisa Lyter, three friends who combined a love of BBQ with a desire to give back. What started as a backyard-sized idea grew year after year, eventually outgrowing its original venue and moving to the Hadji Shrine Temple to make room for more cook teams, more attendees, and more impact.

“The people of Pensacola love to give to improve their community,” says co-founder Jerold Hall. That instinct is what built EggFest from a small cook-off into one of the region’s best-known charity events, without ever losing its volunteer, community-first roots.

What Happens at Pensacola EggFest

The weekend kicks off with a VIP Dinner on Friday evening, followed by the main event on Sunday. Cook teams, from serious competition pitmasters to enthusiastic backyard cooks, set up on-site and prepare everything from briskets and smoked oysters to paella and dessert, all cooked on the Big Green Egg. Attendees sample the food, a panel of celebrity and local judges hands out awards, and the People’s Choice vote lets the crowd weigh in too.

Award Categories:

  • Judges Choice
  • People’s Choice
  • First Responders
  • Non-Profit/Ministry
  • Professional: Restaurant/Food Truck
  • Spirit of EggFest

It’s a competition, but the spirit of the event is closer to a community cookout than a formal contest. Teams cook side by side, share tips, and compete for a good time as much as for the trophy.

Looking to attend or compete? See ticket pricing or find out how to enter a cook team.

The Real Reason EggFest Exists

Behind the smoke and the friendly competition, EggFest exists for one reason: to help people who need it.

“Those charities are kids who won’t go to bed hungry, kids fighting cancer who will get more research, and families that will feel safer in our communities,” says co-founder Doug Jolly. “All year long, our cook teams mobilize to serve thousands of meals to thousands of deserving people.”

Since 2013, that mission has added up to more than $1,000,000 donated to local charities, money raised one ticket, one cook team entry, and one sponsorship at a time. Recipients have included Manna Food Pantry, which fights hunger across Escambia and Santa Rosa counties; Rally Pensacola, which supports families of children battling cancer; Sacred Paws; Ronald McDonald House; Pace Center for Girls; and Guardian Ad Litem, among others.

Every ticket sold and every cook team that signs up helps push that number higher.

More Than One Day a Year

While the November event gets the spotlight, the EggFest crew stays active year-round, cooking at more than 20 community events annually, from feeding volunteers at Manna’s Rotary Against Hunger food-packing event to supporting UWF Homecoming and the Ascension Sacred Heart NICU Radiothon. The November event is the biggest weekend of the year, but for this team, giving back isn’t seasonal.

Why People Keep Coming Back

Pensacola EggFest’s reputation isn’t just anecdotal. In an independent survey conducted by the University of West Florida College of Business, attendees gave the event a Net Promoter Score above 97, a figure Bain & Company classifies as “world class,” and 96% said they felt a genuine sense of community while there.

“The generosity of the community just amazes me every year,” says co-founder Lisa Lyter. “This is a perfect match, a love for cooking and eating good food and giving back to our community.”

How to Be Part of It

There are three ways to get involved:

  • Attend — Get General Admission or VIP tickets for this year’s event.
  • Compete — Register a cook team, promote your business or organization, and cook for a cause.
  • Sponsor or partner — Contact us to learn about sponsorship opportunities.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Pensacola EggFest 2026?

Pensacola EggFest 2026 takes place Sunday, November 15, at the Hadji Temple, 800 W 9 Mile Rd, Pensacola, FL. The VIP Dinner is the Friday before, November 13.

How much has Pensacola EggFest raised for charity?

Pensacola EggFest has raised over $1,000,000 for local charities since it began in 2013.

Is Pensacola EggFest a nonprofit?

Yes. Pensacola EggFest is a 100% volunteer-led charity event, with all proceeds supporting local nonprofits.