City of Owensboro set to host BBQ and Barrels Festival

OWENSBORO, Ky. (WFIE) - Owensboro’s annual barbecue festival will now be accompanied with a hint of bourbon.

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Our Lady of Lourdes cooking team is one of 20 barbecue vendors that plan to bring their favorite items to the festival.

Team member Drew Hardesty says they will have pork, burgoo, chicken and a few other smoked items too. He says they have participated in the festival since the very beginning, and they have awards to show for it.

“It’s always fun to come down and cut up with the guys and the ladies and cook meat. We take pride in the food that we cook,” said Hardesty. “We think we have the best in town. And we want to serve that to anybody and everybody that wants to come and try some Owensboro barbecue.”

Tim Ross, the director of public events for the city of Owensboro, says this festival will be bigger and better than it’s ever been before. He says the festival’s new branding is expected to enhance the 45-year-old cultural barbecue tradition.

“So, with the name change it’s kind of a new identity being able to add the bourbon element that’s so prominent now in Kentucky,” said Ross.

He says there will be a carnival near the bridge. The courthouse lawn will be filled with barbecue vendors, Second Street will be filled with vendors and Ross says the bourbon element will be available at the convention center.

The festival will take place on Second Street this weekend.

It’s slated to be open from noon until 10 p.m. Friday, as well as from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m. Saturday.

Click here to access details on festival parking information.

Click here for more information about the BBQ and Barrels Festival.

We spoke with Visit Owensboro’s Dave Kirk Friday morning to give us the rundown of what’s to come this weekend at the festival:

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