Join us in historic Paoli, Wisconsin for a celebration of BBQ presented by renowned pitmaster and TV personality Michelle Wallace. Enjoy BBQ from acclaimed pitmasters and local legends, live music, BBQ demonstrations, & much more!

Sunday, September 20, 2026, 12-3PM
(11AM-3PM VIP)

DAY TWO: THE BIG SUGAR BBQ PARTY showcases the talents of 8 of the country's top pitmasters in a celebration of BBQ. Choose from the General Admission or the VIP experience.

General Admission starts at noon, when guests will receive a commemorative BBQ tray and enjoy the handiwork and craft of some of the country’s top barbecuers during an all-you-can-eat afternoon feast.

VIP admission starts at 11am, with guests enjoying welcome cocktails from J. Henry and Sons Bourbon, and a small-group whole hog BBQ demonstration and tasting with legend Rodney Scott & Master Blender Joe Z Henry.

Nashville country artist, Hannah Juanita, named one of the 5 female artists creating the future of country music, will provide the afternoon’s music, alongside cooking and BBQ demos from Dan Fox and J. Henry and Sons and a specially-curated vendor marketplace. 

• FOOD: All BBQ on DAY TWO from America’s top pitmasters is all-you-can-eat and INCLUDED in your ticket. There will also be vendors selling beverages, snacks, desserts, and other goodies. 

• MUSIC: Hannah Juanita & Mose Wilson

• DEMOS: Dan Fox, Joe Z Henry, Master Blender, J. Henry and Sons. 

• MARKET VENDORS: Salty Provisions, Smokey Woods BBQ, Hall of Fame Beef, The Tailgate Foodie, J's BBQ

THE PITMASTERS:

• Pitmaster Rodney Scott, Charleston, SC

• Michelle Wallace, Top Chef: Wisconsin, Houston, TX

• Ali Clem, La Barbecue, Austin, TX

• Dan Fox, Heritage Tavern, Madison, WI

• David Bancroft, Bow and Arrow BBQ, Auburn, AL

• Don Nguyen, Khoi BBQ, Houston, TX

• Elena Terry, Tall Grass, Madison, WI

• Brian Jupiter, Ina Mae Tavern, Chicago, IL

DAY 2 DEMO SCHEDULE:

• BRISKET 101: TRIM IT LIKE A PITMASTER
  WITH ALI CLEM
  12-12:30PM
  Great brisket starts before the smoker is ever lit. Join Ali Clem, chef and owner of Michelin-starred la Barbecue in Austin, for a hands-on look at one of barbecue's most important skills: trimming a brisket. Ali will break down what to keep, what to trim, how shape and fat affect the cook, and how proper prep sets you up for better bark, better slices and better brisket.

• VIET-TEX BBQ: BRISKET CURRY
  WITH DON NGUYEN
  1-1:30PM
  What happens when Central-Texas smoke meets the flavors of Vietnam? Khói Barbecue's Don Nguyen has built his cooking around that very question. Join the Food Network BBQ Brawl finalist as he transforms smoked beef into a deeply flavorful Vietnamese-inspired curry while sharing the story behind his signature Viet-Tex style—where brisket, smoke, fish sauce, tamarind and the flavors he grew up with all meet around the same fire.

• BOURBON & BBQ: A WISCONSIN-GROWN TASTING
  WITH J. HENRY & SONS
  2-2:30PM
  Smoke meets spirit in this guided Bourbon & BBQ tasting with J. Henry & Sons. Discover how heirloom red corn, wheat and rye grown on the Henry family's Dane County farm become distinctly Wisconsin bourbon—and what happens when those flavors meet barbecue. Taste along, learn what to look for when pairing bourbon with smoked meats, and get a pour of the festival's Fire & Smoke single-barrel pick.