American Royal World Series of Barbecue®

The Barbecue is much more than a competition. It’s a two-day festival with something for everyone: live local music, delicious foods, beer and cocktails, a car show, a BBQ Marketplace and, for the kids: carnival rides, entertainers, a mechanical bull and more. With more events and activities than ever, the American Royal World Series of Barbecue® is the place to be. We’re cooking up something amazing.

The World Series of Barbecue is the largest barbecue competition in the world, hosting over 400 teams from more than 7 countries. This is not only a wonderful competition, but also the largest fundraiser for the American Royal and the proceeds of this event go back to our mission for educational events in agriculture and scholarships.

Yes, you can try BBQ! There will be a tasting area where you can purchase samples of Kansas City barbecue. This area will be located on Pit Road, west of the team spaces.
The World Series of Barbecue competition is NOT a food sampling event. This event is a barbecue competition for teams from around the world. Teams/Tents will not provide samples to the general public.