America's Best Barbecue Festivals (Slideshow)

The Atlanta Bar-B-Q Festival calls itself "the crossroads of bar-b-q" because it brings together styles from Texas, the Carolinas, Memphis, St. Louis, and Kentucky all in one event. Now in its ninth year, the festival will charge only $6 in advance ($10 day of) for admission to the August 12-13, 2016 event — but guests can opt for a $30 "Bourbon Experience" ticket instead ; in addition to general admission access, this also includes a commemorative sample glass and 10 free tokens to use on over 30 premium bourbons (costing 1-4 tokens each, with additional tokens available for $1 each).  A buck will also buy you limited samples from many of the vendors. As for other attractions, there are  cooking demos, live music and entertainment, and the highly anticipated BBQ Cook Off.

June 11-12, 2016 are the dates, New York is the city, and Madison Square Park is the location for the 15th annual Big Apple Barbecue Block Party. Last year, New Yorkers and tourists alike were treated to over 14,000 pounds of ribs and 7,500 pounds of ribless pork, and they washed it all down with 3,500 gallons of beer and wine. This year, vendors like Hill Country, Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q, Salt Lick BBQ, and at least 10 other major 'cue purveyors will be on-hand slinging their fare as numerous musical acts perform — including former New York Yankee fan-favorite Bernie Williams and his band. As always, admission is free, and food and drink proceeds go to the Madison Square Park Conservancy. If you can think of a better way to spend a weekend in the city, I'd like to hear it.

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo was organized for charitable, educational, and scientific reasons to promote and encourage the breeding, raising, and marketing of better livestock and farm products at public fairs — but most people just attend for the eating at The World's Championship Bar-B-Q. Each year (in February or March) since its inception in 1974, the festival has kicked off with a three-day traditional Texas cook-off, with more than 250 teams competing for the top prize in categories like "Most Creative Food," "Best Fried Food," "Best Breakfast Food," and numerous others. Then there's the live music, DJs, dancing, drinks, and even a free (with the cost of a $15 admission ticket) plate of chopped beef with chips and beans courtesy of Chuck Wagon at the Saloon. The festival attracts more than 200,000 visitors annually.

On Saturday, October 22, 2016, 25,000 barbecue fans from around the world will descend on Lynchburg, Tennessee, for one of the most prestigious and serious competitions in the world: The 28th Annual Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue. Of course, only the competitors need be truly serious, as they compete for a shot at the $10,000 prize (and smaller prices for best chicken, pork ribs, pork shoulder/butt, beef brisket, dessert, cook's choice, and Jack Daniel's sauce). Everyone else is festive, jovial, and stuffed full of good eats. There are also games aplenty (including some interesting original ones with names like "Country Dog" and "Butt Bowling"), grilling demos, live bands and entertainment, a pie auction, and a petting zoo. Everything kicks off at 10 a.m., and admission is absolutely free.

Pork barrel politics aren't welcome in Washington, D.C., but pork sure is. In fact, historic Pennsylvania Avenue completely shuts down for the annual Safeway Barbecue Battle, which is now in its 24th year. Held from June 25 to 26, 2016, the event features a sampling pavilion, barbecue restaurant row, cooking demos, nonstop live music from 30 bands, a marketplace, and all sorts of other tents, stands, and kiosks. As for the battle itself, chefs and competitors from across the country compete for a chance to win $40,000 in prizes, which is some serious bacon. Admission is $15 per day, but it includes free samples and access to everything already mentioned, with proceeds benefitting the USO Metropolitan Washington-Baltimore and Capital Area Food Bank.