Western PA BBQ and Steak Events
If there's a BBQ festival or competition within 2-3 hours' driving distance from the Pittsburgh area, you'll find it here. Even a few with our neighboring states! Do you have an event? Contact us with the info, and we'll add you.
2026 BBQ Competition and Festival Schedule
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Please check each event for admission and competition details. Information is current as of May 10, 2026.
** denotes PA BBQ Wilds Circuit Event - A five-month tour around the PA Wilds, where competitors compete to be the best in the area.
April 2026
April 3 and 4 - Rekindled Ironman (Seven Valleys, PA)
April 24 and 25 - Marietta River City BBQ (Marietta, OH)
May 2026
May 15 and 16 - BBQ Bonanza (Huntingdon, PA)
May 15 to 17 - Twin Valley Fire & Smoke BBQ Competition (Morgantown, PA)
May 22 and 23 - Big Knob BBQ & Cash Fest (Rochester, PA)
May 22 to 24 - Oglebay’s Backyard BBQ (Wheeling, WV)
May 27 to 30 - Erie Wild Rib Cook-Off and Music Festival (Erie, PA)
June 2026
June 6 - Little Toby Smoke Off BBQ Competition (Brockway, PA)**
June 11 to 13 - Ribs-N-Rock Festival (Boardman, OH)
June 12 to 14 - York County BBQ Festival (York, PA)
June 13 - Blues, Brews & Barbecue (Allentown, PA)
June 18 to 20 - Almost Heaven BBQ Bash (Buckhannon, WV)
June 20 and 21 - Franklin Blues & BBQ Festival (Franklin, PA)
July 2026
July 23 to 26 - Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (New Freedom, PA)
July 25 - TBA (DuBois, PA)**
August 2026
August 15 - Steel City Harley-Davidson Summer Sizzler Rib Cook-Off (Washington, PA)
August 22 - Brookville BBQ Bash (Brookville, PA)
August 27 to 31 - Acrisure Stadium Rib Fest (Pittsburgh, PA)
August 28 and 29 - Saxonburg BBQ Smokeout (Saxonburg, PA)
August 29 and 30 - DMV Kosher Brisket BBQ Competition (Waynesboro, PA)
September 2026
September 19 - Annual Hopewell BBQ Cook-Off and Blues Fest (Hopewell, PA)
September 19 - Grill Fest (Hartville, OH)
September 26 - All Fired Up & Kickin' Ash BBQ Competition (Emporium, PA)**
Waiting Confirmation
Ceramic City Jazz, Blues, & BBQ Festival (East Liverpool, OH)
Rusty Gold Brewing Rib Cookoff (Canonsburg, PA)
Seven Springs Rib & Wing Festival (Seven Springs, PA)
2026 PA State Championship
TBD - Keystone Classic (Harrisburg)
This is the last big event in PA for the year, where you can flex your big BBQ muscles.
2026 Steak Cookoff Association Competition Schedule
April 2026
Saturday, April 25th
Lancaster BBQ Supply Spring (DOUBLE) Steak Cookoff (Lancaster, PA) RESULTS
ANCILLARY - Quesadilla | Spareribs
KIDS - Hot dogs
JACKPOT STEAK
May 2026 - TBA
June 2026 - TBA
July 2026 - TBA
August 2026
Friday, August 28th
Grill Your Ace Off (SINGLE) Steak Cookoff (West Newton, PA)
ANCILLARY - Anything Pickle
Saturday, August 29th
Grill Your Ace Off (DOUBLE) Steak Cookoff (West Newton, PA)
ANCILLARY - Ribs | Chili
KIDS - TBD
JACKPOT STEAK
September 2026
Saturday, September 19th
Christiana Smokestack (DOUBLE) Sizzle Steak Cookoff (Christiana, PA)
ANCILLARY - TBD
JACKPOT STEAK
October 2026 - TBA
November 2026 - TBA
December 2026 - TBA
March 2027 - SCA World Championship XIII
Please follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest local SCA event information.
First time checking out a festival? Here is when we visited "Grill Your Ace Off"!
2018 saw the first-ever SCA event in Western PA, and as a 1st-time competitor myself, I can say it was a CRAZY GOOD TIME, so I've decided to add them to the list. Unlike most BBQ competitions, it’s a quick day, and a few minutes of cooking steak can win you $1000. Interested? Keep reading!
Here are the events in PA/OH/NY/WV; the information is current as of April 23, 2026.
There are several double steak competitions this year, so get ready to grill your steak off!
Cash prizes may change, so please check with each event.