The fourth annual Sip & Swine BBQ Festival is going to be here before we know it. The event will take place on March 1-2, 2019, and we’re still looking for vendors to join us as we host our barbecue competition and raise money for the Home of Hope at Gwinnett Children’s Shelter.
First, in case you’re wondering what Sip & Swine is, we’ll explain a bit about the festival. Sip & Swine is a Kansas City Barbecue Society-certified barbecue competition. It starts on a Friday afternoon and continues on Saturday morning. We bring a whole bunch of barbecue teams (both amateur and professional) together and hold a little cook-off to see who prepares the best barbeque. The pros and the amateurs (called Backyard teams) compete in separate divisions. They compete in different categories – Chicken, Pork Ribs, and Pork. The pros also compete in Beef Brisket. Along with the competition, there’s live music for everyone to enjoy.
What’s better than a barbecue festival with great live music? A barbecue festival with live music that benefits a great cause.
Sip & Swine benefits a local nonprofit, The Home of Hope at Gwinnett Children’s Shelter. The nonprofit works hard to help homeless children and their mothers in the Gwinnett County area by providing a nurturing, safe home and helping Mom create a life plan to get back on her feet. It’s a place for kids to be kids while their moms are equipped with the tools they need to become independent.
The barbecue is top-notch, but that’s not the entire festival. We also invite food vendors and craft vendors to participate in the event by getting a booth. It’s a great way to meet people in the community and get the word out about your business in the Gwinnett area. Last year at Sip & Swine 2018, about 12,000 people came out over the course of the weekend. We project that about 14,000 people will attend Sip & Swine 2019. Anyways, we’re looking for food vendors to provide yummy snacks to complement the barbecue, and we’re also looking for craft vendors to bring out some cool merchandise!
If you’re interested in being a food or craft vendor at the 2019 Sip & Swine BBQ Festival, fill out our online application. We’d love to see you out there at the event! Sign up soon – spots fill up fast and even though the festival takes place at Coolray Field we have limited space!
Interested in becoming a judge for the barbecue competition? Great! We need judges to declare the winners of our little completion. You can apply with this form. You have to be a KCBS (Kansas City Barbecue Society) certified judge.