SOUTH DAKOTA BARBECUE FESTIVALS

We wish you could smell this list! From sanctioned barbecues to celebrations of local pitmasters, here’s our rundown of South Dakota’s best barbecue events.

It’s hard to think of summer without hearing the sizzle of meat hitting the grill. The smell. That taste. It’s no surprise that South Dakota loves its grilled meat. With that love comes weekend-long celebrations devoted to some of the most delicious barbecue in the country. Here are some of our favorite events to show up hungry for. Don’t worry. We’ll have plenty of napkins waiting for you.

SD BBQ Championships

Huron

Sanctioned by the Kansas City BBQ Society, this competition brings chefs from all over the world to compete for more than $10,000 in cash prizes. The competitions (there’s also a F.A.T. Friday Chili Challenge) are held in conjunction with the Wheel Jam celebration, where you can enjoy live entertainment and walk off some of those tastings by checking out some of the most beautiful cars, motorcycles and pickup trucks you’ve ever seen. The event takes place annually in early June (and occasionally late May.)

BBQ Pit Row

Winner

On your way to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in early August, swing through Winner for this all-day event. The town’s Main Street fills every year with teams competing with pork ribs and beef brisket as well as side dishes. But the best part? They’re all available for sampling.

Cookin’ on Kampeska

Watertown

Plenty of places hold barbecue championships, but only this event near Watertown features a beautiful view of Lake Kampeska. Make your vote known during the People’s Choice competition, and enjoy family-friendly fun including children’s activities, live music and more.

Ribs, Rods & Rock n’ Roll

Vermillion

Every September, downtown Vermillion transforms into a barbecue paradise where visitors can get their fill at the barbecue cook-off while enjoying live music and checking out the vendors and classic cars that line the streets.

Q-Fest

Milbank

Part of the legendary Farley Fest, this is the time to enjoy live music after sampling barbecue from a variety of chefs ranging from amateur to veteran.