Carolina BBQ Festival Recap: 2026 Best BBQ Bites

South Carolina Festival of Discovery 2026

South Carolina Festival of Discovery [https://www.uptowngreenwood.com/events/sc_festival_of_discovery/index.php] marks its 25th year July 9-11 in uptown Greenwood. Bringing barbecue and the blues together, Festival of Discovery delivers a $2.8 million local economic impact as 50,000 people and nearly 100 competitors seek cash prizes, great music, and championship food bites. Find out what’s new in the 2026 Festival of Discovery schedule and learn about local businesses making this year’s event possible. Don’t miss our bite into the hot dog-eating contest (and the strict competition qualifications). Listen to this episode sponsored by the Old 96 District [https://visitold96sc.com/] for our conversation with Festival of Discovery organizer Gibson Hall, who reveals the perennial favorites for the people’s choice barbecue award. The Low & Slow Barbecue Show [https://lowslowbbqshow.com/blog/cranford-brothers-barbecue-chef-ben-sullivan/] 2026 season is sponsored by Carolina BBQ Festival [https://carolinabbqfest.org/the-pitmasters], which invites you to celebrate local barbecue summer 2026 today when you visit a locally owned barbecue business. Find a list of local pitmasters here [https://carolinabbqfest.org/the-pitmasters]! Visit The Low & Slow Barbecue Show [https://share.google/vwqmQSw6QrVwufce9]website here!

Local Barbecue Summer: Festival Lineups, Archibald’s BBQ and Cranford Brothers

Local Barbecue Summer 2026 kicks off with stops at Archibald’s BBQ [https://archibaldbbq.com/] and Cranford Brothers Barbecue [https://lowslowbbqshow.com/blog/cranford-brothers-barbecue-chef-ben-sullivan/]. Hot off the press: Pinehurst Barbecue Festival’s 2026 lineup [https://www.pinehurstbarbecuefestival.com/pitmaster-invitational] of local pitmasters bringing barbecue and business to the North Carolina Sandhills. And in Uptown Greenwood, the 25th annual South Carolina Festival of Discovery combines blues and barbecue for a celebration of culture, food, people and history. Learn about the 64-year history of Archibald’s BBQ in Northport, AL, and the experience during a visit at the Alabama Barbecue institution. Listen and you’ll also find out about Cranford Brothers Barbecue’s new event space [https://www.instagram.com/p/DZNsnNdhNqp/] and a crazy idea Chigger is trying to cook up for college football season. Alabama ribs vs Eastern Carolina whole hog. Bama vs. ECU. September 5. Who wants to party? This episode of The Low & Slow Barbecue Show is sponsored by Carolina BBQ Festival, which invites you to celebrate barbecue summer 2026 today when you visit a locally owned barbecue business. Find a list of local pitmasters here [https://carolinabbqfest.org/the-pitmasters]! Visit The Low & Slow Barbecue Show website here!  [https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://lowslowbbqshow.com/&ved=2ahUKEwin2PX_n_uUAxXx48kDHQqFKsUQFnoECBgQAQ&usg=AOvVaw04fjJJonsO0JnV0AeytRCm]

Barbecue with Dad: Early Embers to The Crazy Pig

Chigger Willard reflects on barbecue with dad and the barbecue chicken beginnings [https://lowslowbbqshow.com/blog/barbecue-chicken-beginnings-of-the-low-slow-barbecue-show/] that his father sparked by passing along passions for live-fire cooking, food, vegetable gardening and so much more. Chigger offers a short recap of their last meal together from The Crazy Pig in Davidson [https://thecrazypigbbq.com/]. Find out about the food, the local business ownership, and the construction challenges preventing patrons from visiting downtown Davidson businesses like The Crazy Pig. Don’t miss Chigger’s tribute to the life of his father, Albert Willard, 84 [https://www.bass-smithfuneralhome.com/obituaries/Albert-Edward-Willard-Jr?obId=48523960&source=SmsSh], who dedicated himself to serving his God, providing for his family, and achieving a positive impact in the world around him. This episode of The Low & Slow Barbecue Show is sponsored by Carolina BBQ Festival which invites you to celebrate barbecue summer 2026 today when you visit a locally owned barbecue business. Find a list of local pitmasters here [https://carolinabbqfest.org/the-pitmasters]! Visit The Low & Slow Barbecue Show website here!  [https://lowslowbbqshow.com]

Kathleen Purvis on BBQ, Food Journalism and Charlotte’s Food Scene

Charlotte-based food journalist Kathleen Purvis [https://www.ourstate.com/author/kathleenpurvis/] shares her backstory in barbecue and food journalism, reveals opinions about the Charlotte food scene, and introduces The Food Section bureau dedicated to the Queen City [https://thefoodsection.com/charlotte/]. Find out how she got into food journalism and what’s kept her in the business since her start at 17. Hear her favorite places for food and her ideal barbecue [https://www.ourstate.com/where-cleavers-sing/] platter. Learn more about TFS : CLT and the publication’s ethics-based approach to covering food in the Carolinas. Don’t miss the Kathleen Purvis “Eastern vs. Western” beef with Top Chef’s barbecue episode and her favorite menu items for Memorial Day and the official start to summer (they might surprise you!). After you meet Kathleen Purvis, revisit our conversation with The Food Section Publisher Hanna Raskin in this episode of The Low & Slow Barbecue Show. [https://lowslowbbqshow.com/blog/celebrating-independence-and-food-with-hanna-raskin/] This episode of The Low & Slow Barbecue Show is sponsored by Carolina BBQ Festival. Visit CarolinaBBQFest.org [https://carolinabbqfest.org/] to get connected and keep up with the latest Carolina BBQ Festival events supporting Operation BBQ Relief. Stay tuned for details on the fall Pig Pickin’ coming soon! Visit The Low & Slow Barbecue Show website here! [https://share.google/XBCDlMMgoWZ6FNWDV]

Redwood Smoke Shack Pitmaster Bob Roberts brings Craft ‘Cue to Hampton Roads

Redwood Smoke Shack pitmaster Bob Roberts [https://redwoodsmokeshack.com/about] shares the story of his barbecue business in Hampton Roads, VA. Don’t miss his ideal Redwood Smoke Shack barbecue tray order! Listen to this episode to learn what sets Redwood apart from other barbecue restaurants, and what you can expect when you visit one of Redwood Smoke Shack’s [https://www.instagram.com/redwoodsmoke/] three locations. Bob talks about educating the public on craft barbecue, introducing future food service workers to the industry, and receiving the news that Redwood Smoke Shack is among the best Texas Barbecue [https://www.instagram.com/p/C_OcjKoPJhy/?img_index=1] outside of Texas. Find out how much brisket is cooking and how much wood is burning every week in Redwood’s newest Suffolk location. Opened in 2025, it operates as a commissary that smokes meat daily and delivers it to Redwood Smoke Shack in Norfolk and Virginia Beach. Tune in for Bob’s favorite bites from the 2026 Carolina BBQ Festival [https://lowslowbbqshow.com/blog/carolina-bbq-festival-2026-guide-pitmasters-bbq-for-a-cause/], his early thoughts about creating a similar event for Hampton Roads, and what he’ll do differently at the 2027 festival. This episode of The Low & Slow Barbecue Show is sponsored by Carolina BBQ Festival. Visit CarolinaBBQFest.org [https://carolinabbqfest.org/] to get connected and keep up with the latest Carolina BBQ Festival events supporting Operation BBQ Relief. Stay tuned for details on the fall Pig Pickin’ coming soon! Visit The Low & Slow Barbecue Show [https://lowslowbbqshow.com/] website!