A favorite Lexington food festival is back for the first time since the pandemic

Janet Patton
·2 min read

Lexington’s celebration of all things smoked meat and sauce is returning for the first time since 2019.

The Bluegrass BBQ Fest, a Smiley Pete production, will be May 19-20 at Moondance Amphitheater, 1152 Monarch St. in the Beaumont neighborhood of Lexington. The annual festival used to be held downtown around the courthouse square. Doors open at 4 p.m. on Friday and at 11 a.m. on Saturday, with music until 9:30 p.m. both nights.

“Lexington has an amazing food community, and we’re really excited to bring vendors together to showcase their BBQ,” said Alex Martin, director of events for festival producer Smiley Pete Publishing, in a news release. “The pandemic put this festival on a hiatus since 2019, but we knew it was important to bring it back for the region.”

Tickets are $10 for one day’s admission, $15 for both days; children 10 and under get in free. Food and drinks sold separately. Parking is free.

Participating pitmasters will serve range of barbecue entrees including pulled pork, ribs, sausages and more. Ice cream and other desserts also will be available as well as other items.

Also available: Craft beer from Mirror Twin, Scout & Scholar Brewing Co., Monnik Beer Co., Wise Bird Cider and Goodwood Brewing plus cocktails featuring Heaven Hill brands Elijah Craig, Evan Williams, Lunazul Tequila and Deep Eddy Vodkas.

The two-day festival also includes live music from a local artists including Dead Air Dennis and Bryan Himes, DeBraun Thomas, Club Dub, Wicked Peace, Bedford and Hole Shot, plus ska punk band The Rough Customers, and country music artist Cody Lee Meece. Louisville-based Bourbon Legend will bring the motown covers on Saturday night. The headliner on Friday night is the Treyvon King Band. King’s father, Lexington blues legend TeeDee Young, will headline on Saturday night.

Lexington’s barbecue festival is back: The Bluegrass BBQ Fest will be at Moondance Amphitheatre in the Beaumont neighborhood May 19-20 this year.
Lexington’s barbecue festival is back: The Bluegrass BBQ Fest will be at Moondance Amphitheatre in the Beaumont neighborhood May 19-20 this year.

Bluegrass BBQ Fest restaurants

The full lineup and schedule is online at bluegrassbbqfest.com/the-bands.

The lineup and list of vendors includes 4 States BBQ, Goodwood Brewing, Piggin’ Out, Hogtown BBQ, Belle’s Smokin BBQ, Porterhouse BBQ, My Hammy Vice, Kroger, Eddie’s Roasted Corn, Inebriated Baker, Little Donut Trailer, Sav’s Chill, Kona Ice and Old Kentucky Kettle Corn.

Bluegrass BBQ Fest

When: May 19-20, 4- 10 p.m. on Friday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday

Where: Moondance Amphitheater, 1152 Monarch St.

Tickets: $10-$15, bluegrassbbqfest.com

Lexington Craft Beer Week is back, and the special releases include an ice cream brew