Hub City Hog Fest returns to downtown Spartanburg this weekend. What you need to know. (2024)

SPARTANBURG — It's that time of year again.

More than 40 teams will compete at the annual Hub City Hog Fest in downtown Spartanburg with the event's proceeds benefiting Mobile Meals of Spartanburg. Founded in 2013, the festival has raised more than $450,000 for Mobile Meals which delivers meals to the homebound throughout Spartanburg County.

Co-founder Cal Wicker said the festival, which is part ofthe South Carolina Barbeque Association's competition circuit, is popular. More than 20,000 people attended in 2023. Wicker expects this year's festival to raise at least $50,000 for Mobile Meals.

This year's first-place grand champion trophy will honor Grey Wicker, who died in May 2023. He's Cal's brother and helped start the festival in 2013.

"We will remember him with this year's festival and hope to honor his legacy," Cal said. "The growth of the festival has been incredible from the community since we started it and we appreciate everyone coming out and supporting us."

The festival is noon-11 p.m. April 12 and noon-9 p.m. April 13.The cost to enter the event is $5 per person after 5 p.m. April 12 and all day on April 13. Before 5 p.m. April 12, admission is free.

"Every dollar we raise goes to Mobile Meals of Spartanburg to help feed our homebound neighbors," organizer Scottie Kay Blackwell said.

Brad Blackwell, Hub City Hog Fest board of directors' president, said it is the largest festival on the South Carolina Barbeque Association's circuit. In previous years, the competition teams were located on Church Street. The teams will be on Broad Street this year.

More than 250 volunteers will participate. Blackwell expects another successful event.

"The growth of downtown Spartanburg and the uniqueness of the event is a driving force behind it," Blackwell said. "The dedication of the Hub City Hog Fest board of directors to see this continue to be successful is unwavering."

The food atHog Fest

At its core, Hub City Hog Fest is about barbecue, and there's no shortage of options. Attendees will be able to sample chicken wings from competition teams 6-8 p.m. April 12 and try barbecue and ribs from the teams noon-2 p.m. April 13. Plenty of beer will be on tap, with Budweiser Spartanburg serving domestic and craft brews.

Hog Bucks will be sold for $1 each. They are used to buy barbeque samples and beer. A wine tent also will be featured at the festival.

Nearly a dozen food trucks will be on site. This is the latest confirmed list of food vendors:

• Aspen Street Sweets
• Bullhded Peanut Company
• Caroline's Cakes
• Cool Hawgz BBQ
• Henry's Smokehouse
• McCoy's BBQ
• Mountain View BBQ and Deli
• Oshields Concession
• Pig on Fire
• Razorbacks BBQ
• Under the Reign Lemonade

Who's on stage

Except duringthe awards presentation at 3:30 p.m. April 13, live music will play throughout the festival. Twelve bands are slated to perform over two days. Here's who is on stage:

Friday, April 12

• Noon-2 p.m.—Hot Yoga
• 2:15-3:15 p.m.—Rock and Roll Reunion
• 3:45-4:45 p.m.—Bill and Tad's Excellent Duo
• 5:15-6:15 p.m.—TJ Jeter Band
• 6:45-8:15 p.m.—Megawish
• 8:45-10:45 p.m.—Steel Toe Stiletto

Saturday, April 13

• Noon-1 p.m.—Drew Spencer
• 1:15-2:15 p.m.—Hurt and Skip
• 2:30-3:30 p.m.—The Wes, Bill and Rich Show
• 4:15-5:15 p.m.—Fernwood Rising
• 5:45-7 p.m.—Prettier Than Matt
• 7:30-9 p.m.—Gritty Flyright

Hog Fest teams

These are the teams competing in this year's Hub City Hog Fest, as well as their pitmasters and hometowns:

• Backwoods BBQ, Gene Culbertson, Trenton
• Beasley's BBQ, Cam Beasley and Kevin Shook, Spartanburg
• Big Al'z BBQ, Jon Allen, Johnson City, Tennesse
• Boss Hawg BBQ, Scott Auton, Spartanburg
• Broker with a Smoker, Russell Austin, Spartanburg
• Buds BBQ Shack, Andy Hethington, Spartanburg
• Casual Smokers, Jamie Mintz, Spartanburg
• Certified Meatheads, Walker Stockley and Al Williams, Clover
• Frame and Flame BBQ, Brandon Britton, Columbus, North Carolina
• Hangin Smoke, Scott Isler, Boiling Springs
• Harry J's BBQ, Harold Vinson Jr., Lexington
• High on the Hog, Matt Talbot, Anderson
• Hill Top BBQ, Chris Hill, Moore
• In the Army Q, Tony Sadler, Charlotte, North Carolina
• JW Cooks, Jason Wallace, Inman
• Limp Brizkit, Max Gravlee and Chad Probst, Greenville
• Men at Work BBQ, Brian Roach, Easley
• Olde Coaches BBQ, Rick Tate, Boiling Springs
• RB Que, Ryan Mabus, Roebuck
• Rib Brothers, Red Padgett, Glendale
• S&M BBQ, John Stone, Pendleton
• SAI BBQ, Glenn Cothran, Greer
• Sir Hogs BBQ, Craig Splawn, Boiling Springs
• Skyline BBQ, Rob Harris, Chesnee
• Smoked Central BBQ, Jason Singletary, Lake City
• Smoke Daddy BBQ, Rusty Morgan
• SmokinFlava, Darius Murry, Inman
• Sweet Meat BBQ, Jeff Smith, Moore
• The Nutty Swine, Tom Clark, Woodruff
• The Saucy Pig BBQ, James Davilla, Piedmont
• Thin Blue Barbeque, David Steffens, Moore
• Too Bad You're My Cousin, James Pendergrass, Duncan
• Top Notch Que, Danny Pless, Gray, Tennessee
• Triple Jacks, Dean Huey, Gaffney

Artisan's Alley

The festival will feature 27 artisans on West Main Street, with more vendors on Dunbar Street. They include:

• A Cut Above Creations
• Baldflower Apothecary
• Body Art Magic
• Crow Revive
• CTM Designs
• Elly and Ro
• Gingerly Crafted
• Grace's Kitchen
• Handmade by Saralynn
• Impressions Fashion Boutique
• JK Oils
• Leather Around The Globe
• Lemonade Chick
• Ms. Lillian's Louisiana Pie Slices
• Nectar of the Vine
• Not So Bland Designs
• Oak Creek Naturals
• Rylee Woods Design
• Sign Sales
• Southern Butterflies
• Squeeze Me Lemonade
• Shipley's Do-Nuts
• Tipsy Bakes
• Toys n Such
• Violet and Ivy Boutique
• Welcome to Manhood