Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest
The experience
What's special
The Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest is billed as the world's largest pork barbecue competition and recognized by USA Today as the most prestigious contest in the sport — a four-day gathering of 250-plus teams from across the U.S. and several countries competing in Ribs, Shoulder and Whole Hog, with an estimated 100,000 people attending. It carries a distinct culture: elaborate team booths, deep camaraderie among pitmasters, and the ever-present smell of hickory smoke over the grounds. An important nuance for visitors is that this is a judged competition, not an all-you-can-eat festival — teams generally cannot sell or hand samples to the general public, so the richest experience is inside a team booth or via special ticketed tasting events. Since the redevelopment of the riverfront Tom Lee Park, the contest is held at Liberty Park in midtown Memphis.
What people love
For the barbecue community, the draw is the atmosphere and the people — the hickory-smoke haze, the global gathering of enthusiasts, and the friendships built booth to booth, with regulars calling it a personal highlight of the year. The move to Liberty Park is generally welcomed for easier, closer parking than the old riverfront site. The recurring caveat from attendees is access to the food itself: because teams don't hand out samples to the general public, first-timers who buy a plain admission ticket expecting to eat their way around can be disappointed, and are steered toward team-booth invitations or the ticketed tasting programs.
Last time around
The 2026 contest — the 48th edition — ran May 13-16 at Liberty Park with more than 250 teams competing across the championship pork categories plus ancillaries. It opened with the traditional parade and ceremonial grill-lighting and again drew crowds toward the 100,000 mark over the weekend. The venue's ample on-site parking (8,000-plus spaces, cashless) continued to be cited as an improvement over the historic Tom Lee Park location, while the core visitor caveat held: the best barbecue access is inside team booths or through the ticketed tasting events rather than a general-admission ticket.
Listen
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Lineup
Lineup not yet announced. Email me the day it lands.
Getting there
Nearest airport: MEM.
Where
Venue
Liberty Park
Camping
Camping details not yet on file.
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