MEDIA RELEASE

February 28, 2022 – For immediate release

Bar-B-Q Block Party Returns May 13-14, 2022

The International Bar-B-Q Festival, Inc. board of directors announces the return of the Bar-B-Q Block Party on May 13-14, 2022. 

 

The annual festival is returning to a two-day event with even more barbecue and several other familiar festival elements. The festival will return to its barbecue-focused roots, featuring church cooking teams’ traditional burgoo and barbecue, the Backyard Cooking Competition, and some of Owensboro’s most recognizable barbecue establishments. Festivalgoers will also notice a dozen new barbecue vendors serving unique fares. Live music, a carnival, and midway games will be returning to the festival along Second Street this year, as well as the Owensboro Family YMCA BBQ Fest 5K. The race will take place on Saturday morning, and interested participants can call or visit the Owensboro Family YMCA for more information.

 

The single-day Bar-B-Q Block Party was launched in 2021 as a way to reintroduce the International Bar-B-Q Festival after a one-year hiatus due to COVID-19, while still abiding by COVID-19 guidelines and allowing for social distancing. After receiving positive feedback from church cooking teams and participants, the festival board decided to continue the Block Party format while expanding to two days.

 

“The Bar-B-Q Festival Board is excited to bring the traditional two-day event back to the community. We are excited about the future with the focus on great barbecue that Owensboro is famous for,” said Allen Payne, Festival Board Chairman.

 

“The second weekend in May in downtown Owensboro is traditionally filled with the sights and sounds of the Bar-B-Q Festival. I am excited for the festival to be able to return to a two-day event this year,” said Tim Ross, City of Owensboro Director of Public Events and International Bar-B-Q Festival board member. “The church teams loved the opportunity to branch out last year for the first Block Party and sell different kinds of barbecue than they had in previous years. It should be a great weekend to try some of their traditional barbecue, in addition to the plethora of other barbecue food trucks and restaurants that will be selling downtown this year.”

 

For more information on the Bar-B-Q Block Party, visit www.bbqfest.com.

 

For more information, contact:

Allen Payne at allenbbqfest@yahoo.com or 270-993-1668

Tim Ross at tim.ross@owensboro.org or 270-687-8350

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