North Platte will welcome barbecue teams, food enthusiasts, and visitors from across the Midwest when the inaugural Sandhills Smoke Show BBQ Competition takes place September 25-26, 2026.The event, hosted at Pals Brewing Company, will feature an elite barbecue competition sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS), the world’s largest organization of barbecue enthusiasts and competition teams.
Hosted in partnership with Visit North Platte and Pals Brewing Company and managed by Airstream Ventures, the two-day competition and concerts is expected to attract competitive pitmasters, certified judges, local residents, and traveling spectators while showcasing North Platte as a premier destination for sports, events, and tourism. To kick the weekend event off on Friday night, CMA award nominee Love and Theft will headline the opening concert while the Drew Phillips Band will perform after the competition on Saturday.
The Sandhills Smoke Show BBQ Competition will feature KCBS-sanctioned categories including brisket, pork, ribs, and chicken, allowing teams to earn points toward national rankings while competing for prize money and championship honors. KCBS sanctions hundreds of barbecue contests annually throughout the United States and internationally. Attendees will get the opportunity to taste all of the food that will be prepared from the teams.
