Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival

New Freedom heats up at the end of July with the Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival, a sizzling summer celebration where incredible food, live music and community spirit come together.

Smoke, Flavor and Summer Fun at Smoke on the Rail

The moment you arrive, you’ll know this isn’t your average summer festival. The air fills with the mouthwatering aroma of BBQ as smokers fire up and talented pitmasters serve up their best. Add live music throughout the day, local craft and specialty vendors, and adult beverages, and you have all the ingredients for a summer day worth remembering.

For serious BBQ fans, there’s even more reason to pay attention. Smoke on the Rail is a qualifying event for the Barbecue World Cup (BWC) in Las Vegas. The Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion of the festival’s Master Series automatically qualify for the competition, putting them in the running for an incredible $1 million prize.

But Smoke on the Rail is about more than competition. It’s also a celebration of the people and community behind the food. Each year, the festival presents the Bigger Than BBQ Award, recognizing an individual whose impact on the BBQ community reaches far beyond competition results, trophies or titles.

Created through a partnership between Smoke on the Rail and Eden Tool, the award honors someone who embodies generosity, mentorship, friendship, service, compassion and dedication to the BBQ family. It celebrates the people who give back, lift others up and prove that BBQ is about much more than what comes off the smoker.

Whether you’re there to sample incredible BBQ, cheer on competitors, enjoy live music or browse local vendors, Smoke on the Rail offers plenty to experience. Come hungry, raise a glass and enjoy a summer celebration that brings the New Freedom community together around great food and even better company.

Great BBQ. Live music. Big competition. Bigger community spirit. That’s Smoke on the Rail.