BBQ, Blues, & Boos brings two days of competition barbecue, live music, Halloween fun, and community fundraising to Barnwell.
Friday night is built around the Anything But Butts competition, while Saturday brings the main South Carolina Barbeque Association cook-off and public pulled-pork sampling.
Friday: Anything But Butts
Friday gives the cook teams a chance to make something besides their competition barbecue. Anything But Butts entries can include appetizers, sides, desserts, or just about anything else that doesn't count as barbecue.
Local judges score the competition first, then festivalgoers get their chance to sample the entries. Public sampling continues through 9 p.m. or until the food runs out.
Live music runs throughout the evening. The festival is still finalizing its 2026 performance lineup, so check the official schedule closer to the event if there's a particular act you want to catch.
Saturday: BBQ Cook-Off
Saturday is the main barbecue day. Teams compete in an SCBA-sanctioned pork butt competition, with ribs offered as an additional competition category.
Public pulled-pork sampling begins at 11 a.m.. The festival says cook teams will distribute samples until 1 p.m., after which remaining barbecue may be sold in containers by the festival until it is gone.
Teams that cook ribs may also sell them directly on Saturday, setting their own prices and accepting cash themselves.
The awards ceremony begins at 3:30 p.m., with the cook-off wrapping up at 4.
Tickets and What They Include
Your festival admission includes the music and barbecue sampling, rather than requiring you to buy individual samples from each competition team.
- Single-day pass: $25 online or $30 at the gate
- Weekend pass: $40 online or $50 at the gate
- VIP weekend pass: $100, available online before the event only
- Kids: Children under 12 who come in costume get in free
Single-day and weekend admission include samples from the festival's 20 cook-off competitors. VIP admission also includes an open beer bar, VIP lounge with additional food, and a private restroom.
Music, Cornhole, and Halloween Fun
Live music is a big part of both days, with multiple performers scheduled around the barbecue competition. The festival also hosts a cornhole tournament on Saturday, along with vendors and other activities around the grounds.
The Halloween theme carries through the weekend, from costumes in the crowd to cook-team decorations. If you're bringing children, remember that kids under 12 get in free when they arrive in costume.
What to Know Before You Go
- Friday: 4–9 p.m.
- Saturday: 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
- Friday barbecue: Anything But Butts competition and public sampling
- Saturday barbecue: SCBA pork and rib competition; public pulled-pork sampling begins at 11 a.m.
- Location: Generations Unlimited – Gail Reyes Center, 11403 Ellenton St., Barnwell, SC 29812
- Weather: Rain or shine
- Bring: A chair or blanket if you want to settle in for the music
- Leave at home: Outside food, drinks, and pets
The Festival Supports Local Businesses
BBQ, Blues, & Boos is a fundraiser supporting the work of the Southern Palmetto Regional Chamber and Southern Palmetto Foundation, including the Palmetto Innovation Center.
Festival proceeds help fund free and low-cost programs for entrepreneurs and small businesses in Barnwell and Allendale counties.
The event began as the Palmetto Pig Pickin' in 2019 and returned after the pandemic with its current name and a broader mission tied to the region's economic-development work.
Admission: $25
Event Organizer
Organizer
- Name
- Bob Snead
- Phone
- 843-714-4088
