Bourbon & BBQ Festival

Embrace the heat this summer with Bourbon & BBQ at Hard Truth! Join us Saturday, July 18, as at least 15 teams take to the Hard Truth on the Rocks terraces to compete for top honors in this incredible barbecue competition. A panel of judges will select winners in a series of categories and you, the spectators, will help select the top team for the People’s Choice awards. Hard Truth will also be celebrating the release of two Barrel Finish Reserve whiskeys that day: Double Oaked Rye and a special Amburana-rested bourbon and rye blend. And, while the teams work their meaty magic, Ariana & the Bourbon Britches and the Blue Ridge Boys will take the Hard Truth on the Rocks stage together to keep the crowd movin’ and groovin’. Tickets start at $50 for general admission and include entry to the event, one food sample at each team’s station, an enamel pin and tastings of our new whiskey. Serious barbecue fans can up the ante with the $125 Charred Truth admission package, which also includes entry to the live fire Charred Truth competition, where teams will vie for a golden ticket to the 2026 World Food Championships. Or, take it all the way to the top with a VIP package that adds early event entry,  an air-conditioned VIP lounge with included grazing boards and beverages, a bottle of Hard Truth Maple Bourbon Barbecue Sauce to take home, and samples of the new-release whiskeys. See below for full details. Bourbon & BBQ at Hard Truth Date: Saturday, July 18, 2026 Time: 4-8 p.m. Location: Hard Truth on the Rocks terraces and amphitheater featuring Ariana & the Bourbon Britches and the Blue Ridge Boys, 4-8 p.m. Ticket options: General admission | $50  Entry to the People’s Choice BBQ competition Tasting card and one food sample at each competitor station Enamel pin Three, one-quarter-ounce whiskey samples, including new releases (21+ only) Charred Truth package | $125  Entry to the Live Fire competition Entry to the People’s Choice BBQ competition Tasting card and one food sample at each competitor station Enamel pin and Bourbon & BBQ souvenir rocks glass Three, one-quarter-ounce whiskey samples, including new releases (21+ only) VIP package | $300  30-minute early entry Access to the House of Rye VIP Lounge, which includes drinks and grazing boards Three, one-quarter-ounce whiskey samples, including new releases (21+ only) Entry to the People’s Choice BBQ competition Entry to Charred Truth: The Premium Live Fire competition Tasting card and one food sample at each competitor station Enamel pin, Bourbon & BBQ souvenir rocks glass, and a bottle of Hard Truth Maple Bourbon Barbecue Sauce