22nd Annual BBQ & Fly-In on the River Set For This Weekend In Downtown Excelsior Springs

August 16, 2022

Whether you spell is BBQ, Barbeque or Barbecue, it’s the taste of America and it’s coming to Downtown Excelsior Springs this weekend! We’re BACK ON BROADWAY and have big plans for a weekend full of fun!

This year event will take place on Friday, August 19th and Saturday, August 20th. We’re featuring some of the top pitmasters in the nation, the amazing aromas of meat fill the air with great music, food trucks, beer garden, a home brew competition, hot air balloon rides and a US ARMY Blackhawk! Check it all out below! Friday night admission is $5 per person. Remember, this is a FUNDRAISER for our community. These funds are put back directly into our downtown district to continue our revitalization efforts.

54 Competition BBQ Teams & Pitmasters

3 of the Top 5 Teams in the Nation Are Coming!
5 of the Top 10 Teams in the Nation Are Coming!
9 of the Top 25 Teams in the Nation Are Coming!
1st, 2nd, 3rd, & 4th Place in the Master Series Chase 2 Are Coming!
Teams from 8 States Are Coming!

4 Legs Up BBQ
All Fired Up and Kicking Ash
All Forked Up For Q
Ambition Que
American Fire BBQ
Atlas Saloon Brewery
Bad Influence BBQ
Barking Dog BBQ
Bears Backyard Q
Black Magic
Brisketbone BBQ
Burnt Finger BBQ
Cow Creek BBQ
Dirt Crue BBQ
Dr. Squealgood BBQ
Fairway Smokers
Gettin’ Sauced
Go Pig or Go Home

Good Times Baby BBQ
Grillas BBQ Team
Heavy Smoke BBQ
High I Que
Irwin’s Pit Crew BBQ
Janky Leg BBQ
JJ’s Bangin’ BBQ
KCASS BBQ
Keep Calm & Sauce On
Locomotive #1
Love 2 Q
Machete Boys BBQ
Man Meat BBQ
Meat Rushmore BBQ
No Money No Honey BBQ
O.G. Bandits
Pancho, Sisco, The Kid & Company
Pig Newton

Porky McBeef and the Cluckers
Q12 Barbecue
Razorracks BBQ
Rub Me Tender, Rub Me Sweet
S&S BBQ
Score One Smokin’
Slaps BBQ
SONS OF A BRISKET
The Art of Que
The BBQ Lab
Three Brothers Different Mothers
Triple H BBQ
Uncle Pig’s Barbecue Pit
Weekend Bum BBQ
Well Sauced
Wood Ticks
WOTS Smokers
Y-We-Q

These 54 Pitmasters will be competing in a stacked field of rugged competition for over $13,000 in cash and prizes! They will be competing in the following categories: Pasta, Chicken, Pork Ribs, Pork, Brisket, Turkey, Dessert and Bloody Mary. While they are all hope to hear they’re named called, only one will get to take home the Grand Champion title.

Friday, August 19th

Gates Open At 5:00 PM
US Army Blackhawk on Piburn Field 3:30 PM – 6:30 PM
ReMax Area Real Estate Hot Air Balloon Rides on Piburn Field – 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Live Music From Brand X in the Hall of Waters Circle Drive – 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Beer Garden in the Hall of Waters Circle Drive – 4:00 PM – 11:00 PM
FIREWORK SHOW AT DARK

Saturday, August 20th

Bloody Mary Contest at 8:00 AM
KCBS Competition Turn Ins 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Home Brew Contest in the Hall of Waters Circle Drive 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Live Entertainment from Kevin Cline NOON – 4:00 PM
BBQ & Home Brews Awards at 4:00 PM

The 2nd Annual Home Brew Contest

Tickets available here. It’s a great day of sampling beer you’ve never tried before and probably won’t ever get again!

The Brewers

Cryptid Brewing
Easley Brewing
Four Color Brewing
Goat Tree Brewery
Grainsmiths
KCHOPTALK
Nomad Brewhaus
RockStar Bier Werks
Two Brothers Brewing
Wild Tendences Brewing

The Brews

The Elwetritsch – Raspberry Gose
Hazy Pale Ale
Belgian IPA
Juicy Fruit Tropical IPA
Live & Let Rye Blackbeery Rye IPA
Nice Dreams Pastry Stout
Pymet Mead
Cyzer Mead
Belgium Dubbel
Festbier Lager
Fire Boss Red
Our House Table Saison
Tippy Taps Dry Hopped Berliner

First, You Roast The Mallow
His Life’s A Blur – Hazy IPA
Belly Blanket – Winter Warmer English Olde Ale
Purple Haze IPA
Belgian Golden Ale
Lemonhead Lemonade Seltzer
Saison de Braxton
Harp’s Gone Bananas Hefeweizen
Catch The Rainbow Kolsch
Lunatic Fringe NZ Pale Ale
Kashmir Amber Ale
Pickaxe Pale Ale
Trip Rider Cider

The Vendors

50 Grams Food
Brennan’s Cotton Candy
Just Nuts

Kansas City Gal Crafts
LeafFitter Gutter Protection
R Squared Creations

The Sponsors That Make It All Possible

BBQ & Fly-In on the River Sponsors

Home Brew Contest Sponsors

Gold Sponsor

Atlas Saloon Brewery

Silver Sponsor

Loft House Brews

Bronze Sponsors

Kilgore’s Vintage & Design
Rex & Carol Baxter

Weekend FAQ’s

Where is the BBQ & Fly-In on the River this year?

Back on Broadway! We’re back in the heart of Downtown Excelsior Springs!

Are you open to the public?

YES! Come have fun all weekend long! $5 entry Friday – Free Entry Saturday – Home Brew Tasting Tickets are Available for Purchase

Why do I have to pay $5 to get in?

IT’S A FUNDRAISER FOR OUR COMMUNITY. Just think of it like a small cover charge. You get to walk around and talk to some of the top competition BBQ teams in the country, drink cold beer, listen to great live music and enjoy $10,000 worth of fireworks. See, $5 isn’t so bad after all, is it?

Do I Get To Eat The BBQ?

In short, no. Did you really think you could get all you can eat BBQ for your $5 entry? C’mon now. Due to Health Department standards this is not an option. We will have food trucks available throughout the event that you can purchase delicious eats from.

Where Should We Park?

In Downtown! Parking will be limited. Find a space, park it, and walk to one of the six entrances into the event.

Can I Bring My Own Cooler?

Umm… No! No outside alcohol will be permitted on the festival grounds by the public. We will have a beer garden you can utilize, and we are several downtown restauranteurs that can sell you drinks.