The Tampa Bay Barbecue Festival & Competition returns to Vinoy Park in St. Petersburg on May 23 and 24, bringing pitmasters from across the South to the bayfront lawn at 701 Bayshore Dr NE for two days of whole hog cooking, live competition, and country music.
Per the festival's announcement, more than a dozen BBQ teams will serve over 100 dishes across the weekend. The menu spans brisket, ribs, pulled pork, smoked wings, and specialty preparations. Alongside the food circuit, the schedule includes judged BBQ competition heats and eating contests — giving the weekend a results-driven thread that runs parallel to the entertainment.
The 2026 music lineup leads with Rodney Atkins and Blackberry Smoke, with Austin Snell and Graham Barham also on the bill. Per the event announcement, performances run throughout both days on the waterfront stage.
The broader footprint includes beer gardens, craft cocktails, local vendor stalls, mural artists, family programming, and games. Shaded areas are listed as part of the grounds setup for both days.
Vinoy Park's bayfront position has made it the default venue for St. Pete's largest outdoor events, and the two-day format — competitive BBQ brackets anchoring the weekend alongside a multi-act music schedule — distinguishes this from the region's single-day food festivals. Competition results and the full competitor roster will be the story to track through Sunday evening.
