International Bar-B-Q Festival

The International Bar-B-Q Festival is an event held in Owensboro, Kentucky, every second weekend in May since 1979, except 2020 when it was cancelled. The festival provides an opportunity for sampling many varieties of barbecued meats, including chicken, mutton, and burgoo. Cooking teams compete for the Governor's Cup, awarded to the team judged to have the best barbecued cuisine. Other attractions include square dancing, musical performances, and arts and crafts. The Kentucky Department of Tourism recently (in 2006) projected an expected attendance of 85,000 for the festival.

The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 caused the festival to go on hiatus until May 2021, when strict measures will be undertaken hereafter, such as social distancing and wearing masks.