My favorite event of the year has arrived: The International Bar-B-Q Festival! And that deliciously fa.m.iliar smell fills the air on May 8, 9, & 10!  The scent is sweet and tantalizing, beckoning you to come and taste. A medley of sounds rise to meet you: the sizzle of delicious meets grilling on the open fla.m.e, the glub-glub-glubbing of the burgoo simmering in huge iron kettles. As you venture toward the Riverfront, the sites and smells take over and you enter into a place unlike any other, where the only thing that matters is who’s mutton tastes the best and how much burgoo you can eat!

            Over the course of three days, 60 to 85,000 people are expected to converge on our fair town to sa.m.ple and taste our most delectable Bar-B-Q and burgoo we can create! With more than 10 tons of mutton, 1,500 gallons of burgoo, 5,000 chickens prepared and sold during the festival, not to mention the usual fair treats: corn dogs, polish sausage, candy apples, fried oreos, and so much more, you will most certainly find something to satisfy those hunger pains! If you’re looking for a bargain, check out the Mutton Glutton held at the RiverPark Center, where you can feast on “the finest cuisine that Owensboro has to offer.” This weekend of feasting begins on Thursday night at 5:30 when food booths open to the public! Friday, the feast begins at 5:30-11 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.

            When your stomach can hold no more, take a stroll along Veteran's Boulevard and 2^nd Street and visit some of the Arts and Crafts booths- everything from woodcarvings to beaded bracelets are found here. Booths are open Friday from 5:30 to 11 and Saturday 10 in the morning to 11at night. There will also be a Cruse-In/Sock Hop on Friday night from 5 p.m. to11 p.m., featuring restored “old-time muscle cars.” Sponsored by The Sunset Cruisers Car Club, the Classic Car Show continues on Saturday, with judging for the best car in the afternoon.

            Four different beauty pageants will take place this year in the International Room at the Executive Inn, starting with the Little Princess Pageant on Friday at 5, followed by the Miss Bar-B-Q Teen Pageant at 6:45p.m. and the main competition: Miss Bar-B-Q Festival at 8:30! Saturday begins with the Baby Pageant at 8:30a.m., followed by the Toddler Pageant at 12:30, and the Youth Pageant at 3p.m., all in the International Room at The E. Visit www.bbqfest.com for deadlines and general information on the various pageants. 

            For more athletic individuals, check out the Bench Press Competition and the Strong Man events. Hosted by Valhalla Fitness, weigh-in and registration begins early Saturday morning at 8a.m., with the Bench Press Competition starting at 10 a.m. and Strong Man events at 1p.m. These events will be held at the Executive Inn’s Exhibition Center. The annual Horseshoe Tourna.m.ent will be held at 10a.m. at Frederica & 2^nd street. There will also be a 5K Run/Walk, Motor sports activities, and a Keg Toss competition.  For more information on these events and competitions, visit www.bbqfest.com. 

            As the night wears on there are several outdoor stages throughout the festival area featuring several local and nationally known bands. The Jim Bean Stage at the Executive Inn will play host to several fantastic acts over the weekend, including August Christopher on Thursday night, Shawn Brashear and Mustang Sally on Friday night, and The Beat Daddys, Carla Gover & Wicked Polly, and Rukkus throughout the day on Saturday. The E will add even more fun and excitement to the weekend as they host the Beer Plaza, which surrounds the Jim Bean stage. So not only do you get to listen to some fantastic bands, but you get to enjoy some tasty adult beverages as well! The Beer Plaza will be open Thursday through Saturday, starting at 5p.m. all three nights.

            In addition, what would a festival be without the many carnival rides! Beginning Thursday night, you can spin, flip, and scream until your hearts content! Rides open Thursday and Friday at 5:30p.m. to 11p.m. and Saturday, 10a.m. to 11p.m.. 

            Let’s not forget about the real reason all this delicious food is being prepared: the cooking competition. Teams from all over the tri-state gather to compete with their secret barbecue recipes, all vying for a shot at best chicken, mutton and burgoo titles, as well as the coveted Governor's Cup for the "Best Overall Bar-B-Q Cooking Team." Competition is fierce, and this year is no different with eight cooking teams signed up to smoke, stew, and grill their way to a win! Also, the Backyard Cooks’ Cook-Off is back again this year, giving locals a chance to compete with their own special sauce. Just bring your grill and get to cooking!  

            Whether you come for the competition, food, entertainment, arts and crafts, or just because you have nothing better to do, we hope you have a fantastic visit, stuff yourself to the gills, and make this a family tradition each year! Have fun and see you next year!

For more information on the International Bar-B-Q Festival, please call the Festival Line at 270-926-6938 or visit www.bbqfest.com.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS