Smoke & Grill Competition- Public Sampling Day
Championship BBQ
Public Tasting
One Delicious Day
Smoke & Grill BBQ Competition & Public Sampling Day
Saturday, June 20, 2026 & Sunday, June 21st, 2026
Skagit River Park & Playfields
Burlington, WA
PRESALES OPEN JUNE 15
Experience the Berry Dairy Days BBQ Competition
The Berry Dairy Days Smoke & Grill BBQ Competition returns to Skagit River Park & Playfields on Saturday, June 20, 2026.
Watch top BBQ teams from across the Pacific Northwest compete for bragging rights while serving up incredible flavors for the public to enjoy. From smoked meats and savory sides to creative BBQ-inspired bites and desserts, every team brings something unique to the competition.
Berry Dairy Days' Public Sampling Day is one of the largest BBQ tasting events in Burlington, Washington, giving visitors the opportunity to enjoy public BBQ sampling from participating competitors throughout the weekend.
Whether you're a serious BBQ enthusiast or simply looking for a delicious way to spend the day, Public Sampling Day is one of the most popular experiences of the Berry Dairy Days Festival.
Saturday, June 20 ā Public Sampling Day
Saturday is the best day to experience the full range of flavors offered during the Smoke & Grill Competition. Visitors can sample BBQ creations, sides, desserts, and specialty items from participating competitors while exploring one of Berry Dairy Days' most popular attractions.
Public Sampling
11:00 AMā5:00 PM
or until sold out
Pre-Sale Pickup
Begins at
11:00 AM
Day-Of Sales
Begins at
Noon
What You'll Taste
Meats, sides, desserts
& BBQ creations
Sunday, June 21 ā Competition Meat Sampling & Awards
Return on Sunday for a limited opportunity to sample official competition meats and celebrate the conclusion of the Smoke & Grill Competition. Competition meat sampling focuses on the categories being judged and offers a unique experience for BBQ enthusiasts.
Limited Meat Sampling
Noon until
sold out
Day-Of Ticket Sales
Begin at
11:30 AM
Competition Meats
Chicken, ribs,
pork butt & brisket
Awards
Championship results
& top placements
How Sampling Works
Sampling is easy!
Visitors purchase tasting tokens and exchange them for samples throughout the event.
Tasting Tokens
- Participating teams determine what they serve
- Teams also determine how many tasting tokens are required for each sample
- Many samples may be available for one token, while larger portions or specialty offerings may require multiple tokens
- Samples may include meats, sides, desserts, and BBQ creations
- All sampling opportunities are available while supplies last
Pre-Sale vs. Day-Of Tickets
Pre-sale Public Sampling tickets are available online beginning June 15 and allow pickup beginning at 11:00 AM on Saturday.
Day-of tickets will also be available on-site while supplies last.
Sunday Competition Meat Sampling tickets are sold on-site only, due to limited meat tastings available.
Purchase Public Sampling Tickets
Ready to experience one of the most popular attractions of Berry Dairy Days?
Pre-sale Public Sampling tickets provide the best opportunity to enjoy a wide variety of samples while avoiding the wait of day-of ticket sales.
Why Purchase Pre-Sale?
- Early ticket pickup beginning at 11:00 AM
- Access to tasting before day-of ticket sales begin
- Convenient online purchase
- Skip the ticket purchase line
- Popular samples may sell out throughout the day
Available Token Bundles
Choose the tasting experience that's right for you:
- 1 Token
- 5 Token Bundle
- 10 Token Bundle
- 20 Token Bundle
Pre-sale Public Sampling tickets are available online beginning Monday, June 15th and will close Friday, June 19th.
About the Competition
Presented by NextEra Energy and sanctioned by the Pacific Northwest BBQ Association (PNWBA), the Berry Dairy Days Smoke & Grill Competition brings talented pitmasters from throughout the Pacific Northwest to Burlington for a full weekend of competition, community, and incredible food.
As one of the region's premier PNW BBQ competitions, competitors travel from across the Pacific Northwest to showcase their skills, share their passion for barbecue, and compete for top honors.
Throughout the weekend, competitors prepare and submit entries in four official categories:
- Chicken
- Pork Ribs
- Pork Butt
- Beef Brisket
Certified judges evaluate entries based on appearance, taste, and tenderness to determine category winners and overall champions.
Visitors have the unique opportunity to watch competitors in action, experience a sanctioned Pacific Northwest BBQ contest firsthand, and celebrate the championship awards presentation on Sunday afternoon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Interested in Competing?
Think you have what it takes to compete against some of the Pacific Northwest's best pitmasters?
The Berry Dairy Days Smoke & Grill Competition is a Pacific Northwest BBQ Association (PNWBA) sanctioned event and welcomes competitors from throughout the region.
Whether you're an experienced competition team or looking to learn more about sanctioned BBQ events, we'd love to have you join us.
Ready to Taste?
Join us June 20ā21 at Skagit River Park & Playfields for championship BBQ, public sampling, competition meat tastings, and one of the most popular attractions of Berry Dairy Days.
Whether you're a dedicated BBQ enthusiast or simply looking for a delicious way to spend the weekend, the Smoke & Grill Competition offers something for everyone.
Looking for things to do in Burlington, WA?
The Berry Dairy Days Smoke & Grill Competition combines championship BBQ, public sampling, live competition, and family-friendly festival fun all in one location.