KCBS Battle of the Blue Ridge

05/30/2026

A huge THANK YOU to Huli Sue's BBQ and Grill for sponsoring the Pork Category at the 2026 Battle of the Blue Ridge BBQ Competition!

Pork is a cornerstone of Hawaiian cuisine and culture, making this partnership especially meaningful. We are honored to have Huli Sue's supporting our event and helping us celebrate one of barbecue's most beloved categories.

If you haven't experienced their incredible Hawaiian-inspired food, do yourself a favor and stop by their Asheville location. From authentic island flavors to warm hospitality, Huli Sue's is a local favorite for a reason.

Please join us in supporting the businesses that support our BBQ community. Mahalo, Huli Sue's, for being part of Battle of the Blue Ridge and helping make this event possible!

05/28/2026

Welcome Elite BBQ Smokers to the Foothills Smoke-Off BBQ Challenge

05/26/2026

ATTENTION LOCAL BUSINESS OWNERS!:

We are bringing a KCBS BBQ Competition to Swannanoa August 7-8, 2026! We will have some of the top teams in KCBS in attendance!

We are still in need of some sponsors to allow this event to be a success.

🐮 Hamburger Hill Burger Battle: $1,000 presenting sponsor
🎂 Operation Sweet Resilience Dessert Challenge: $1,000 presenting sponsor
🐔 Chicken Caterogry Presenting Sponsor: $1,200

We also have campsites (up to 40 now!) that need sponsors. Campsites are $250. You will have your name/logo on a yard sign to be displayed and social media recognition as well as being presented on a national stage.

All proceeds from this competition will benefit the 1 Patriot Project- a nonprofit for veterans by veterans to ensure that local veterans have access to needed mental health services and support.

If you have any questions or would like to partner with us in any way please shoot us a message here or at [email protected]

05/17/2026

05/14/2026

We are very excited to be featured sourwood festival weekend! Come to black mountain and make an entire weekend trip out of it!

Over the last couple of days, there have been a lot of conversations surrounding the Sourwood Festival, including questions about vendor selection, applications, festival layout, and changes to the event over the years. We wanted to take a moment to answer some of the questions and suggestions that took place in the comments of a controversial post made yesterday.

Sourwood Festival Questions & Answers
• Sourwood Festival is always held the second weekend in August.
• This year’s dates are August 8 & 9.

Applications & Vendors
• 224 total applications received
• 119 applicants were not accepted
• Additional applications continue be requested (and denied) after the deadline

Local Vendors
• 55 applications came from Buncombe County
• 33 Buncombe County vendors were accepted
• Approximately 31% of accepted vendors are from Buncombe County

Insurance Restrictions
• Our event insurance does not allow vendors/activities that require waivers
• Vendors affected by this restriction did receive this information in their rejection emails

RailYard Questions
• We cannot legally expand the festival across State Highway 9
• The state does not permit pedestrian crossings between festival areas
• We attempted a similar setup previously and experienced issues

Food Questions
• Traditional "fair food" will still be available in the Food Court near Terry Estate
• The Swannanoa Valley also has 38 independent restaurants open and ready for visitors
• We encourage guests to enjoy both the festival and local businesses

New This Year
• Carolina Fusion Q is bringing a Kansas City Barbecue Competition to the valley the same weekend
• Hosted in partnership with the KOA Campground
• Fireworks by PyroWright on Friday night
• This is a separate event from Sourwood but a great weekend for the valley

Looking Ahead
• 2027 marks the 50th anniversary of Sourwood Festival. We are discussing ideas people remember fondly:
• Car show
• Talent show
• 5K
• Rides
• More hometown traditions

We met with the business owner who felt left out this morning. The conversation was respectful, and he understands the insurance and space limitations involved. We do want to clarify that the Chamber believes that there is room for everyone but not every time. "Not fitting in" is never part of our review.

We appreciate everyone who continues to share feedback and ideas. Please participate in post-event surveys and community conversations as we work toward the future of the festival.

I appreciate you,
Cheryl Hyde
[email protected]

04/30/2026

🇺🇸 Local Businesses – Want to Support Veterans AND Get Your Brand Seen? 🇺🇸

We are currently seeking sponsors for the KCBS “Battle of the Blue Ridge” BBQ Competition coming to the Asheville East KOA in Swannanoa on August 7–8, 2026.

This event will bring top BBQ teams from across the country to compete right here in the Valley while supporting an incredible mission.
❤️ Proceeds from sponsorships benefit 1 Patriot Project, a nonprofit dedicated to helping veterans with physical and mental disabilities maintain independence and fight isolation.
We offer sponsorship tiers starting at just $100 up to $3,000 and everything in between and sponsors receive:
✔ Brand promotion across our social media platforms
✔ Logo placement on event marketing and materials
✔ Day-of-event advertising and recognition
✔ The opportunity to support veterans who sacrificed for our country
This is a great way to support a meaningful cause while getting your business in front of the community and visitors attending the competition.

If your business is interested in sponsoring or learning more, please message me or email [email protected].

Let’s make this a huge event for our community and for our veterans. 🇺🇸🔥

04/29/2026

🇺🇸 Supporting Those Who Served 🇺🇸
The Battle of the Blue Ridge BBQ Competition is proud to benefit 1 Patriot Project, a nonprofit dedicated to making sure no Veteran walks their journey alone.

Their mission is simple but powerful:
To provide compassionate, high-quality home care that helps veterans maintain independence, dignity, and well-being, while actively working to prevent su***de by confronting isolation, mental health struggles, and barriers to self-sufficiency.
When you sponsor or support the Battle of the Blue Ridge, you’re doing more than helping us host a world-class KCBS competition featuring some of the nation’s top BBQ teams.
You are standing beside the men and women who once stood for us.

Your support helps us:
🇺🇸 Create an incredible competition experience for teams and fans
🇺🇸 Bring the BBQ community together for a meaningful cause
🇺🇸 Directly support veterans through the work of 1 Patriot Project

Every rack of ribs, every brisket slice, every team on the field helps move the mission forward.
Because the truth is simple:
Our veterans showed up for us. Now it’s our turn to show up for them.

If you or your business would like to sponsor Battle of the Blue Ridge, we’d love to partner with you in making a real difference.

04/29/2026

We are so excited to partner with Dark City Dumpster for our competition!
Dark City Dumpsters is locally owned and operated. They service Swannanoa, Black Mountain and surrounding areas with 10 and 14 yard dumpsters. Definitely the best place in town for the best price!