Western PA BBQ Events Page
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! If you have an event, contact us with the info and we’ll get you added.
BBQ & SCA Festival and Competition Schedule
**NOTE** Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing most of the events for 2020 are either canceled or postponed. There will be a revised list below on June 1, 2020.
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Here is the list from last year to get an idea of what to look forward to when we can get back on track.
First time checking out a festival? Here is when we visited “Grill Your Ace Off”!
Steak Cookoff Association (SCA) Competitions
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 cooking steak can win you $1000. Interested? Keep reading!
Here are the events in PA/OH as of right now and you can also locate these on the map below with the golden cow.
2nd Annual Raising the Steaks Cookoff (Greencastle, PA)
Friday, April, 5th – 1st Place $1000Lancaster BBQ Supply Steak Cookoff (Lancaster, PA)
Saturday, April 13th – 1st Place $1000Chillin’ & Grillin’ on E-Street (Hartville, OH)
Saturday, June 15th – 1st Place $1000Smoke in the Grove – Kennie’s Steak & Sausage Challenge (Spring Grove, PA)
Friday, July 26th – 1st Place $500Grill Your Steak Off (West Newton, PA)
Saturday, August 24th – 1st Place $1000Route 6 Ribfest Steak Cookoff (Coudersport, PA)
Saturday, August 31st – 1st Place $1000
Please check each event for admission and competition details. Information current as of 2/15/2019.
If you are a Gmail user you can subscribe to the calendar.
= KCBS sanctioned event
April
4/26 to 27 – Marietta River City BBQ (Marietta, OH) 
May
5/17 to 19 – Clarion BBQ Festival (Clarion, PA)5/29 to 6/1 – Erie Wild Rib Cook-Off and Music Festival (Erie, PA) 
June
5/29 to 6/1 – Erie Wild Rib Cook-Off and Music Festival (Erie, PA) 6/7 to 8 – Almost Heaven BBQ Bash (Weston, WV) 6/15 to 16 – Franklin Blues & BBQ Festival (Franklin, PA) 6/21 to 22 – Smoke on the Mountain BBQ Cookoff/Competition (Kersey, PA)6/28 to 30 – Pennsylvania RibFest (Greensburg, PA)
July
7/4 – 1st Annual Rusty Gold Brewing Rib Cookoff (Canonsburg, PA)7/5 to 6 – Ceramic City Jazz, Blues, & BBQ Festival (East Liverpool, OH)7/6 – Kill the Grill (Benezette, PA)7/26 to 28 – 5th National RibFest at Paradise Park (Cowansville, PA)7/26 to 27 – Smoke in the Grove BBQ Festival (Spring Grove, PA)
August
8/2 to 4 – Seven Springs Mountain Resort Rib & Wing Festival8/17 – Pig Out in the Park (Frostburg, MD)8/24 – Grill Your Steak Off (West Newton,PA)8/29 to 9/2 – Heinz Field Rib Fest (Pittsburgh, PA)8/31 to 9/1 – Route Six Ribfest (Coudersport, PA)
September
8/31 to 9/1 – Route Six Ribfest (Coudersport, PA) 8/29 to 9/2 – Heinz Field Rib Fest (Pittsburgh, PA)9/21- Grill Fest (Hartville, OH)9/20 to 22 – Oinktoberfest (Clarence, NY) 
9/27 to 28 – All Fired Up & Kickin’ Ash BBQ Competition (Emporium, PA)9/28 – 8th Annual Hopewell BBQ Cook-Off and Blues Fest (Hopewell, PA)
PA State Championship
While this event is not in Western PA but in our state capital it is the last big event in PA for the year where you can flex your big BBQ muscles.
Keystone Classic BBQ State Championship
KCBS Sanctioned Event
October 4 – 5, 2019
Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex & Expo Center
2300 N. Cameron St.
Harrisburg, PA