40 barbecue teams, 12 music acts at Hub City Hog Fest; road closures, parking info to know

More than 40 barbecue teams, 12 live musical performances, food trucks, and vendors will make up this weekend's 2024 Hub City Hog Fest.

The festival will be held from noon to 11 p.m. on Friday, April 12 and from noon until 9 p.m. Saturday, April 13 in downtown Spartanburg. During the festival, 40-plus competition teams will compete in the annual barbecue competition. More than 5,000 people are expected to attend this weekend's festival.

Hub City Hog Fest was originally started in 2013 by Cal Wicker and his brother Grey Wicker, who passed away in May 2023.

"We're naming the Grand Champion trophy in his honor," co-founder of Hog Fest Cal Wicker said of the award that will be given to the team judged as having the best barbecue.

"Our main goal is to raise as much money as we can for Mobile Meals," Wicker said. "In the past, we have raised more than $450,000 for Mobile Meals, and we are looking forward to having another big turnout this year."

Mobile Meals is a non-profit ministry that delivers hot meals and fellowship to frail and homebound citizens in Spartanburg County. The organization has grown from 15 volunteers serving 25 meals per day in 1977 to 150 volunteers serving nearly 1,500 meals each day.

"Mobile Meals volunteers will be on-site assisting attendees," said Emily Collins, Development Associate at Mobile Meals. "All proceeds from this event will directly benefit Mobile Meals. By helping us continue feeding people in need."

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What to know to go to Hog Fest

Several streets downtown around Morgan Square will be blocked off to accommodate the dozens of cooking teams participating in the annual barbecue competition.

Entrance to the event on Friday, April 12, is free from noon to 5 p.m. At 5 p.m., attendees will need to purchase wristbands for $5 each to attend the event.

On Saturday, April 13, wristbands must be purchased for $5 each to enter the event from noon to 9 p.m. Children 10 and under can enter for free.

What will be available to eat?

Chicken wings samples from teams competing in the cook-off will be available from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday.

Barbecue and rib samples will be available from noon to 2 p.m. on Saturday.

Vendors will also be on-site selling barbecue. Confirmed food truck vendors for 2024:

• Aspen Street Sweets

• Bullhded Peanut Co.

• Caroline's Cakes

• Cool Hawgz BBQ

• Henry's Smokehouse

• McCoy's BBQ

• Mountain View BBQ & Deli

• Oshields Concession

• Pig on Fire

• Razorbacks BBQ

• Under the Reign Lemonade

Hog Bucks must be used to purchase food from vendors and to sample barbecue from competition teams.

2024 Hub City Hog Fest competitors

• Backwoods BBQ - Gene Culbertson - Trenton

• Beasley's BBQ - Cam Beasley and Kevin Shook - Spartanburg

• Big Al'z BBQ Team - John Allen - Johnson City, Tennessee

• 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/Al Williams - Clover

• Frame & 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 / Chad Probst - Greenville

• Men at Work BBQ - Brian Roach - Easley

• Ole 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 Hoggs BBQ - Craig Splawn - Boiling Springs

• Skyline BBQ - Rob Harris - Chesnee

• Smoke Central BBQ - Jason Singletary - Lake City

• Smoke Daddy BBQ - Rusty Morgan

• SmokinFlava - Darius Murry - Inman

• Southern End Smokers - Cody McCarley - Spartanburg

• Sweet Meat BBQ - Jeff Smith - Moore

• The Nutty Swine - Tom Clark - Woodruff

• The Saucy Pig BBQ - James Davilla - Piedmont

• Thin Blue Barbecue - David Steffens - Moore

• Too Bad You're My Cousin - James Pendergrass - Duncan

• Top Notch Que (TNQ) - Danny Pless - Gray, Tennessee

• Triple Jacks - Dean Huey - Gaffney

Hub City Hog Fest's Artisan's Alley

At the Artisan's Alley on Main Street, vendors will be selling their arts and crafts, according to the Hub City Hog Fest website.

Hog Fest schedule of live performances

Friday, April 12

Noon to 2 p.m. Hot Yoga

2:15 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. Rock and Roll Reunion

3:45 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. Bill & Tad's Excellent Duo

5:15 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. TJ Jeter Band

6:45 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. Megawish

8:45 p.m. to 10:45 p.m. Steel Toe Stiletto

Saturday, April 13:

Noon to 1 p.m. Drew Spencer

1:15 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. Hurt & Skip

2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. The Wes, Bill & Rich Show

4:15 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. Fernwood Rising

5:45 p.m. to 7 p.m. Prettier Than Matt

7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Gritty Flyright

What roads are closed during Hog Fest?

• West Main Street from Church to Daniel Morgan

• West Broad Street from Church to City Hall

• Dunbar Street from Church to Magnolia

• Magnolia Street from Garage to West Main

• Spring Street from Kennedy to Ezell

Where to park during Hog Fest?

There are more than 3,000 free parking spaces in downtown Spartanburg. Recommended parking spaces include:

• City Hall parking lot on Broad Street

• Dunbar Street parking garage

• Kennedy Street parking garage

• Magnolia Street parking garage

• Garage at the Spartanburg County Courthouse also on Magnolia Street

• St. John Street parking garage

• E Lewis Miller parking lot

• QS/1 parking lot.

This article originally appeared on Herald-Journal: What to know: Hub City Hog Fest food vendors, road closures, parking