This post contains Affiliate Links. Read my full disclosure for more info.
Looking for Georgia BBQ competitions? This 2026 Georgia BBQ competition calendar includes top cookoffs, festivals, dates, locations, and BBQ events across the state.
Georgia does not play around when it comes to barbecue. From small-town cook-offs to serious sanctioned contests, the state has a strong competition BBQ scene built around pork, ribs, community festivals, and pitmasters who take their turn-in boxes seriously.
Whether you are a backyard cook thinking about entering your first contest or a competition team looking to build a Georgia BBQ schedule, the first thing to understand is this: not every Georgia BBQ competition follows the same sanctioning body or judging format.
Quick Note Before You Compete
Before signing up for a Georgia BBQ competition, check which organization sanctions the event.
Many Georgia contests are connected to the Georgia Barbecue Association, often called the GBA, while others are sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbeque Society, or KCBS. The GBA calendar includes contests such as Bastille Day BBQ Cookoff, Sylvester Swine Festival, Byron BBQ Fest, and Red, White & Blue BBQ. KCBS events in Georgia include contests such as Sip & Swine, Boss Hog State Championship Cook-Off, and Honeybee BBQ Competition.
If you are new to competing, this matters because each organization may have different rules, meat categories, judging formats, and membership requirements.
Georgia BBQ Competition Calendar
Major Georgia BBQ Competitions in 2026
February 2026
- Carroll’s Sausage & Country Store BBQ Competition & Festival — Ashburn, Georgia — February 2027
This one is worth watching if you are planning ahead for the next GBA competition season.
March 2026
- Sip & Swine BBQ Festival — Lawrenceville, Georgia — March 6–7
Held at Coolray Field, Sip & Swine is one of Georgia’s larger BBQ festival and competition events. The 2026 festival is scheduled for March 6–7 and includes competition team applications, judge applications, vendor opportunities, and public festival activities.
April 2026
- Smokin’ on Blackshear BBQ & Balloon Festival — Cordele, Georgia — April 24–25
A Georgia BBQ competition and festival-style event held at Lake Blackshear Resort, with BBQ, music, vendors, and hot air balloon activities.
May 2026
- Smoke on the Lake — Acworth, Georgia — May 8
Listed by Barbecue News as an “In Association With GBA” contest for May 8, 2026, in Acworth, Georgia. - Boss Hog State Championship Cook-Off — Waynesboro, Georgia — May 8–9
The annual Boss Hog Cook-Off is sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbeque Society and brings together competition cook teams for a serious BBQ competition in Waynesboro. - Honeybee BBQ Competition — LaFayette, Georgia — May 29–30
The Honeybee BBQ Competition is listed as a KCBS-sanctioned event for May 29–30, 2026, in LaFayette, Georgia, with a guaranteed payout of $5,750.
July 2026
- Bastille Day BBQ Cookoff — Rochelle, Georgia — July 10–11
Listed on the Georgia Barbecue Association calendar as an “In Association With” contest in Rochelle, Georgia. - GAWP Barbeque Cook-Off Competition — Georgia — July 11–12
The Georgia Association of Water Professionals lists its 2026 Barbeque Cook-Off Competition for July 11–12, 2026.
August 2026
- Sylvester Swine Festival — Sylvester, Georgia — August 21–22
Listed on the Georgia Barbecue Association calendar as a Double Points Contest in Sylvester, Georgia.
September 2026
- Byron BBQ Fest — Byron, Georgia — September 18
Listed on the Georgia Barbecue Association calendar as an “In Association With GBA” contest at North Peach Park in Byron, Georgia. - Blue Ridge Blues & BBQ Festival — Blue Ridge, Georgia — September 17–19
The 15th annual Blue Ridge Blues & BBQ Festival is scheduled for September 17–19, 2026. This is more of a public BBQ and music festival than a traditional competition calendar stop, but it is a notable Georgia BBQ event for fans.
October 2026
Pigs & Peaches BBQ Festival — Kennesaw, Georgia — October 2026
Kennesaw’s Pigs & Peaches BBQ Festival is moving to October for 2026 and beyond. The two-day festival features barbecue, food, desserts, drinks, live entertainment, a Kid Zone, vendors, and exhibits.
Red, White & Blue BBQ — Canton, Georgia — October 16
Listed on the Georgia Barbecue Association calendar at American Legion Post 45 in Canton, Georgia.
Before You Go
Schedules can and do change. Some competitions are postponed, moved, or updated after the initial calendar is published, so always click through to the official event page or sanctioning body calendar before making travel plans.
That matters especially for spring and summer events, where weather, venue changes, registration deadlines, or sanctioning updates can affect the schedule.
Final Thoughts
Georgia has a strong BBQ competition scene with a mix of GBA contests, KCBS-sanctioned events, backyard divisions, state championship cook-offs, and family-friendly BBQ festivals.
If you are new to competing, start with a local or backyard-friendly event and spend time learning the difference between GBA and KCBS formats. If you are already serious about competition BBQ, Georgia gives you plenty of opportunities to build a strong yearly schedule.
From Lawrenceville and Acworth to Cordele, Waynesboro, LaFayette, Sylvester, Byron, and Canton, there are plenty of Georgia BBQ competitions worth putting on your calendar.
For competitors, it is a chance to test your smoke, flavor, tenderness, and timing.
For BBQ fans, it is a chance to enjoy some of the best barbecue Georgia has to offer.
Follow Along With More BBQ Content
If you love barbecue, check out more of our BBQ recipes, smoker tips, and competition-inspired cooking guides here on Pit Nation BBQ.
