Downtown Foley will once again fill with smoke, sound and crowds when the 18th Annual Foley BBQ & Blues Cook Off returns to Heritage Park on Saturday, March 14.

Presented by RiverView Turf, the daylong festival runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and features award-winning barbecue, live music, food trucks, craft and retail vendors and a kids’ zone. Admission is $15 and available onsite only. Children 12 and under are admitted free.

Sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbeque Society, the cook-off will bring together more than 30 backyard division teams from across the Gulf Coast competing for the Grand Championship title and additional top prizes. BBQ samples will be available beginning at 11 a.m. In addition to judged categories, the team earning the highest total in People’s Choice donations will receive a traveling trophy to display at its business for the year.

Live music will be featured throughout the day, with performances by Foley High School bands, Chitlin Switch and The Defrosters. Gates and vendor areas open at 10 a.m., and cook team awards are scheduled to begin at 4 p.m.

Hosted by the South Baldwin Chamber Foundation, the festival serves as a major fundraiser for the organization, which has supported students throughout South Baldwin County for more than 20 years through leadership development, educational enrichment and quality-of-life initiatives. All proceeds from the event benefit the Foundation.

Along with barbecue and entertainment, the festival also showcases student creativity. As part of the annual T-shirt Design Contest, students from the 14 schools supported by the South Baldwin Chamber Foundation are invited to submit original artwork for the official event T-shirt. The top 25 designs will be displayed during the festival.

This year’s winning design was created by Foley High School student Soledad Sanchez. Her artwork will be featured on the official 2026 Foley BBQ & Blues Cook Off T-shirt.

For more information, visit www.foleybbqandblues.net. Follow the event on Facebook at @bbqandbluescookoff and on Instagram at @foleybbqandbluescookoff.