BBQ Fest on the Neuse in Kinston, NC

It’s very early on the first Saturday morning in May and the breeze from downtown Kinston carries the aroma of pork slowly cooking on enormous grills. More than 90 cook teams from across North Carolina gather each year to roast whole hogs through the night in preparation for judging. The sweet aroma that fills every block of downtown Kinston is the result of these cooks perfecting their sauces and making sure their pigs are tender and flavorful.

THE 2025 BBQ FEST ON THE NEUSE WILL FEATURE:

• Live music performance by Runaway June
• 150+ vendors including food trucks, arts & crafts, home & garden, jewelry, farmers market & festival merch
• Carolina Classic Car & Truck Show and Bikers For Christ 4th Annual Motorcycle Show
• Beer, Wine & Spirits Garden featuring Kinston’s own Mother Earth Brewing & Social House Vodka
• Fun for kids of all ages at The FUN Zone
• The “Chop Tent” where you can savor Eastern North Carolina’s BEST barbecue, cooked, chopped, and sauced on site. Come early; barbecue is available from 11 a.m. Saturday until it sells out, and it always sells out.

Kinston, NC
www.visitkinston.com