Western PA BBQ and Steak Events
If there’s a BBQ festival or competition within 2-3 hours’ driving distance from the Pittsburgh area, you’ll find it here. Even a few with our neighboring states! Do you have an event? Contact us with the info, and we’ll get you added.
2025 Steak Cookoff Association Competition Schedule
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First time checking out a festival? Here is when we visited “Grill Your Ace Off”!
2018 saw the first-ever SCA event in Western PA, and as a 1st-time competitor myself, I can say it was a CRAZY GOOD TIME, so I’ve decided to add them to the list. Unlike most BBQ competitions, it’s a quick day, and a few minutes of cooking steak can win you $1000. Interested? Keep reading!
Here are the events in PA/OH/WV; the information is current as of 3/30/2025.
There are several double steak competitions this year, so get ready to grill your steak off! Cash prizes may change, so please check with each event.
April 2025
- Saturday, April 26 – Lancaster BBQ Supply Spring (DOUBLE) Steak Cookoff (Lancaster, PA)
- ANCILLARY – Anything Pierogie and Anything Ground Turkey
May 2025
- Saturday, May 03 – YTI Spring Fling (DOUBLE) Steak Cookoff (Lancaster, PA)
- ANCILLARY – Tacos
- Friday, May 16 – Twin Valley Fire and Smoke (Morgantown, PA)
June 2025
- Saturday, June 7 – Smoke Showing (DOUBLE) Steak Cookoff (Lancaster, PA)
- ANCILLARY – Anything with Strawberry and Mystery Box
- Saturday, June 21 – Smoke’em if you Got’em (DOUBLE) Steak Cookoff (Petersburg, WV)
- ANCILLARY – Margaritas
- Friday, June 27 – York County Steak Cookoff (Delta, PA)
- ANCILLARY – Appetizer
July 2025
- NO EVENTS
August 2025
- Saturday, August 2 – Steak Off by the Lake / Sizzle by the Shore (DOUBLE ) Steak Cookoff (Erie, PA)
- ANCILLARY – Dessert
- Saturday, August 23 – Grill Your Ace Off (DOUBLE) Steak Cookoff (West Newton, PA)
- ANCILLARY – Deviled Eggs, BLT Sandwich, and Margaritas
September 2025
- Saturday, September 20 – Christiana Smokestack (DOUBLE) Sizzle Steak Cookoff (Christiana, PA)
March 2026 – SCA World Championship XII
2024 BBQ Competition and Festival Schedule
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Please check each event for admission and competition details. Information is current as of 3/30/2025.
= KCBS-sanctioned event
April 2025
- April 4 and 5 – Rekindled Ironman (Seven Valleys, PA)
- April 25 and 26 – Marietta River City BBQ (Marietta, OH)
May 2025
- May 16 and 17 – BBQ Bonanza (Huntingdon, PA)
- May 16 to 18 – Twin Valley Fire and Smoke BBQ Competition (Morgantown, PA)
- May 24 – Big Knob BBQ & Brew Fest (Rochester, PA)
- May 23 to 25 – Oglebay’s Backyard BBQ (Wheeling, WV)
- May 28 to 31 – Erie Wild Rib Cook-Off and Music Festival (Erie, PA)
June 2025
- May 29 to June 1 – Erie Wild Rib Cook-Off and Music Festival (Erie, PA)
- June 13 and 14 – Smoke on the Mountain BBQ Cookoff/Competition (Kersey, PA)
- June 12 to 14 – Almost Heaven BBQ Bash (Buckhannon, WV)
- June 14 and 15 – Franklin Blues & BBQ Festival (Franklin, PA)
- June 14 – Blues, Brews & Barbecue (Allentown, PA)
- June 27 and 28 – York County BBQ Festival (York, PA)
- June 27 to 29 – Washington County Rib and Music Festival (Washington, PA)
July 2025
- July 25 to 26 – Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (New Freedom, PA)
August 2025
- August 16 to 18 – First Annual DMV Kosher Brisket BBQ Competition (Waynesboro, PA)
- August 29 to September 1 – Acrisure Stadium Rib Fest (Pittsburgh, PA)
September 2025
- August 29 to September 1 – Acrisure Stadium Rib Fest (Pittsburgh, PA)
- September 13 – Annual Hopewell BBQ Cook-Off and Blues Fest (Hopewell, PA)
- September 27 – All Fired Up & Kickin’ Ash BBQ Competition (Emporium, PA)
Waiting Confirmation
- Ceramic City Jazz, Blues, & BBQ Festival (East Liverpool, OH)
- Grill Fest (Hartville, OH)
- Kill the Grill (Benezette, PA)
- Pig Out in the Park (Frostburg, MD)
- New Holland Summer Fest (New Holland, PA)
- Rusty Gold Brewing Rib Cookoff (Canonsburg, PA)
- Saxonburg Volunteer Fire Company BBQ Smokeout (Saxonburg, PA)
- Seven Springs Rib & Wing Festival (Seven Springs, PA)
- Steel City Harley-Davidson Summer Sizzler Rib Cook-Off (Washington, PA)
2025 PA State Championship
Because this event is not in Western PA but in our state capital, it is the last big event in PA for the year, where you can flex your big BBQ muscles.
Keystone Classic BBQ State Championship KCBS Sanctioned Event
October 4, 2024
Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex & Expo Center
2300 N. Cameron St.
Harrisburg, PA