Carolina BBQ Festival: Barbecue Bites for Everybody

Pork belly burnt ends. Pork pulled and chopped from whole hogs and shoulders. Pork ground up and stuffed into sausages. Yes, of course, Carolina BBQ Festival’s fifth annual whole-hog heritage celebration barbecue bites based around beef, chicken and … fish?!

“It’s a long way from my roots of whole hog,” said long-time Sam Jones BBQ pitmaster Michael Letchworth who served redfish. “You get a whole lot more sleep doing this.”

Launched in 2022 by “Sweet Lew” Lewis Donald, the festival has grown to 30+ pitmasters and two days. Smaller spring BBQ brunch and fall pig pickin’ events encourage year-round Charlotte-area barbecue interest (as if it’s needed).

“Top Chef Carolinas” fueled the region’s food fervor when its Season 23 “Going Whole Hog” episode debuted days before the festival, casting a national spotlight on Sweet Lew and several festival pitmasters.

The results: Friday night’s “Queen City Smoke” sold out, bringing 600+. Twice as many turned up for Barbecue Saturday, despite an unseasonal 90-degree day.

Many of those people and pitmasters echoed my “favorite bites” below. Totally subjective, far from definitive, and likely leaving out a deserving favorite, these choices still highlight the barbecue diversity on display at Carolina BBQ Festival every April.

The Kickoff: Queen City Smoke

Charlotte-area barbecue brands Midwood Smokehouse, Mac’s Speed Shop, Union Barbecue, Bar-B-Q King, and Improper Pig served 6 great barbecue bites Friday night.

The favorite from Midwood’s Matt Barry combined a double-smoked burnt end with a beef tallow chimichurri and pickled red onions.

Served in a street taco tortilla, the easy handheld delivery was perfect for the casual cocktails-and-conversation spirit of the warm-up.

Barbecue Bites Saturday

Fox Hollow Outdoors

Michael Letchworth’s redfish on the “half shell” (fire-cooked, scales on) was a light and flavorful bite, especially served with a bright sesame veggie salad. On a day with 20+ servings of smoked, sauced, and cheese-covered proteins, the fish dish was the right start for the five-hour meat feast. 

Lawrence Barbecue (Cary, NC)

Jake Wood’s smoked party wings were perfectly touched by smoke. Tender and juicy, these wings would be good naked, but Jake’s beef fat caramel and ancho honey dressings brought extra flavor to a can’t-miss party.

Burnt ends (again) Redwood Smokehouse (Norfolk, VA) & Fork Grove Barbecue (Anderson, SC)

Festival newcomer Bob Roberts (Redwood) twice-smoked gochujang-glazed pork belly burnt ends and served them with a creamy chopped slaw and a fried pork skin. This firm barbecue bite was a mouth-melt with a sweet-and-spicy kick.

Dylan Cooke delivered a similar state of pork nirvana with bacon burnt ends in a sweet Thai chili glaze and topped with onion crisps and cowboy candy.

Noticing a pattern? Burnt ends were popular. One pitmaster confessed to me that he’d burnt out on the bite. The weekend brought him back.

Dessert: Ben’s Backdraft Barbecue (Waynesville, NC)

If Ben Hooper brings Moon Pie banana pudding to the festival, this dessert will never be saved for last. The secret is in the pudding, Ben says, but I think the whipped cream + chocolate moon pie cookie knock the Nila Wafer version from the “Nanner Puddin’” throne.

Bryan Furman Barbecue (Portland OR, residency)

Carolina BBQ Festival Charter pitmaster and five-timer in his hometown Charlotte’s barbecue festival, Bryan Furman cooks perfectly bite-off-the-bone ribs. Flame-fire crisp on the outside. Slow-smoked tender, juicy, and firm inside. His signature peach mustard sauce is a sweet hint of Georgia and South Carolina influences.

Swig & Swine BBQ (Charleston, SC)

Anthony DiBernardo’s “beef and cheddar” was an all-timer using thin-sliced beef chuck cooked sous vide and finished over flame. Topped with melted jalapeno pimento cheese and served on a fluffy onion roll, this sandwich was a warm taste of heaven.

The Field: Carolina BBQ Festival Barbecue Bites

Across the rest of the festival field, every barbecue bite was a winner. County Smoak’s brisket pastrami is a staple, and it’s fun to discern pork nuances between whole hog – chopped (Sam Jones) and hand-picked (Sweet Lew’s) – and Lexington Barbecue’s shoulder with red slaw.

Jon G’s brisket fried rice is a IYKYK go-to. And the pimp link sandwich from Adam Hughes and Old Colony Smokehouse was a three-bite delight of jalapeno-cheddar sausage, pimento cheese, pickled red onion, and house palmetto sauce. The list of goodness can continue.

Because regardless of your protein preference or sauce allegiance, Carolina BBQ Festival offers favorite barbecue bites for every palate.

And by raising over $60,000 for Operation BBQ Relief and other charities, the two-day eating assignment becomes a #BBQforaMission we can all support.

Carolina BBQ Festival 2026 Full of Unforgettable Barbecue Bites

From whole-hog traditions to creative new-school flavors, Carolina BBQ Festival again proved why it has become one of the South’s premier barbecue celebrations. The weekend delivered unforgettable barbecue bites. Perfectly smoked wings, crispy ribs, rich pork belly burnt ends, and even fire-kissed redfish.

What makes the festival special isn’t just the food. It’s the way pitmasters from across the Carolinas bring their own influences, cooking styles, and personalities together in one place. Every tent offers a new experience. Each stop is another memorable barbecue bite worth talking about long after the smoke clears.

As Carolina BBQ Festival continues to grow, so does its reputation as a must-visit destination for the best barbecue bites in the Carolinas and beyond. With thousands of attendees supporting Operation BBQ Relief and other charitable causes, the event proves great barbecue can make a meaningful impact.

Stay connected with Carolina BBQ Festival for details about 2027. If this year’s festival was any indication, every barbecue bite will be worth the wait.