Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue
- Dates
- Expected October 2026
- Status
- Confirmed
- Venue
- Lynchburg, Tennessee (specific site/park not named on official page)
- Price
- Not announced
- Camping
- None on site
- Last checked
- Aug 23, 2026
Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue returns to Lynchburg, TN, Expected October 2026. Froligo tracks ticket prices, attendee feedback and travel details.
What to eat & drink
You must try…
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Festival weekend in pictures
The people, producers and atmosphere around the festival.
Watch before you taste
Food tours, crowd favourites and festival highlights.
The experience
What's special
Known simply as 'The Jack,' the Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue is widely regarded as the Super Bowl of competitive barbecue an invitation-only, KCBS-sanctioned championship held each October in the tiny distillery town of Lynchburg, Tennessee, that closes out the barbecue season. Around 90-plus elite teams qualify from across the U.S. and the world (recent years have drawn competitors from Australia, Brazil, Canada and Switzerland), and more than 40,000 spectators pack the town for a single Saturday, with the competition centered on Wiseman Park and booths filling the town square. Admission is free and the atmosphere is family-friendly, though as at most sanctioned contests competing teams generally cannot serve their barbecue to the public; visitors eat from local restaurants, food vendors and free cooking demonstrations rather than sampling the competition entries
What people love
The appeal is the combination of prestige and small-town charm: watching the world's best pitmasters compete for the sport's most coveted title in a picturesque distillery town, at a free, family-friendly event. The day has a rhythm attendees learn to read a tense, focused energy during the noon-to-2:15 turn-in windows when teams are heads-down, giving way to a relaxed, celebratory mood after judging wraps around 3 p.m. and through the 5 p.m. awards, which the public can watch from bleachers
Last time around (2025)
The 2025 edition drew 91 teams from around the world to Lynchburg and was won by Kings BBQ (of Jacksonville, FL). As in prior years it ran as a free, family-friendly single Saturday centered on Wiseman Park, with competition turn-ins through the early afternoon, an awards ceremony at 5 p.m., and the town's restaurants, vendors and Jack Daniel's cooking demonstrations feeding the crowd since the competing teams don't serve the public. The 2026 edition is confirmed for October 9-10
Music & entertainment
Lineup not yet announced. Email me the day it lands.
Getting there
Nearest airport BNA.
How do I get to Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue?
By car
Most people drive to Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue. The nearest major airport is BNA, and from there it is a straightforward drive to the venue. Check current road and traffic conditions before you set off, and see parking below.
By train
No direct passenger rail to the venue was found. Drive, fly in, or use a shuttle instead.
By bus & public transit
No scheduled intercity bus or public transit route to the venue was found. Drive, fly in, or use a shuttle instead.
Taxi & rideshare
Lynchburg is a small town in rural Moore County with no scheduled public transit and thin rideshare coverage. Nashville International Airport (BNA) is the primary gateway at roughly 75 miles / ~1.5 hours' drive northwest; Huntsville International (HSV, Alabama) is a realistic alternate at ~55 miles south. Rideshare from either airport is possible but expensive and unreliable for the return leg a rental car is the practical choice. On event Saturday, drive to the designated parking and take the shuttle rather than trying to reach the town center directly
Book / info →Taxis and rideshare such as Uber and Lyft can be limited near the venue, especially late at night or in rural areas. Agree a pickup point and time in advance and keep a backup plan.
🅿 Parking
Cost $10 official parking at Moore County High School (shuttle included); variable at church/non-profit lots.
🚙 Car hire
Compare car hire at BNA
Car hire is essentially the primary option for fly-in attendees: Lynchburg has no public transit, sits ~75 miles from Nashville (BNA) and ~55 miles from Huntsville (HSV), and the event uses a remote park-and-ride shuttle. A rental is needed both to reach the region and to explore the distillery town and wider Middle Tennessee
Search car hire →Live price search coming soon.
Where
Venue
Lynchburg, Tennessee (specific site/park not named on official page)
Camping & Accommodation
Where can I stay near Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue?
No on site camping. Here is where to stay nearby.
Hotels nearby 4
Airbnb & private camping
Lynchburg and the surrounding Moore County countryside carry a modest supply of Airbnb cabins, farm stays and cottages that are popular with distillery visitors year-round; expect them to book up well ahead for The Jack's October Saturday. Nearby Tullahoma/Fayetteville/Shelbyville add supply within a short drive
Search Airbnb →Rural Middle Tennessee around Lynchburg carries Hipcamp-listed farm and private-land camping/glamping sites a fitting, scenic budget alternative to scarce local hotels for this small-town event, especially for attendees comfortable with a short drive to the park-and-ride
Search Hipcamp →Accessibility & comfort
What the organiser or venue publishes about getting around, and what they do not.
Crawled jackdaniels.com/en-us/bbq and its linked pages on 3 Sep 2026. The page is a brand event page and publishes no accessibility information, no terrain description, and nothing on accessible parking, toilets, companion tickets, ASL or a quiet space
Confirm your specific needs with the organiser's access team before you travel.
Pricing
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