BBQ Bash to honor America’s 250th and West Virginia Day with Saturday salute

The Almost Heaven BBQ Bash arrives in Buckhannon on Thursday for three days of food and free family fun.

But amidst the competition and concerts, the bash will set aside time on Saturday, June 20, for a patriotic ceremony marking both West Virginia Day and the nation’s 250th anniversary.

Jody Light, president of the bash, previewed the salute for Buckhannon City Council at its June 4 meeting. The ceremony will follow the barbecue awards, which begin about 4:30 p.m., and is set for roughly 5 p.m.

A color guard will raise a flag, and the program will include patriotic music. Landau Eugene Murphy Jr., who headlines the festival’s Saturday concert, will sing “God Bless the USA” and “Country Roads.” Light said the 20- to 30-minute ceremony will recognize veterans, those currently serving and Gold Star families.

“A lot of the barbecue people are veterans, and we want to recognize the veterans and those who are currently serving,” she said.

The date carries extra meaning for the festival, which began on West Virginia Day 11 years ago and now lines up with it again, Light said.

Organizers are also inviting dignitaries. The governor attended last year and hopes to return, Light said, and the Secretary of State and others have been invited. She urged council members to attend as local dignitaries so the festival can recognize them.

The salute is one of several attractions organizers have lined up for this year’s bash. Among them is a twist on an egg hunt: organizers will hide 50 three-inch 3D-printed flying pigs, each a different color and marked with a number, around town from Wednesday night through Saturday, with each find good for a prize of up to $100 in cash.

“Normally, they say when pigs fly — well, ours is when pigs hide,” Light said.

The Almost Heaven BBQ Bash is a competition barbecue festival held each June at Jawbone Park in downtown Buckhannon, pairing a championship cooking contest with food vendors, crafters, children’s activities and live music. It has grown into one of the area’s signature summer events since it started 11 years ago.

This year’s bash opens Thursday, June 18, and runs through Saturday, June 20, with hours of 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Admission is free. Nightly concerts begin at 6 p.m., featuring Blue Steele on Thursday, Rick K’s Road Trip on Friday and Landau Eugene Murphy Jr. on Saturday.

As previously reported, this year’s competition draws championship barbecue teams from 12 states, including the returning KCBS World Champion and King’s Barbecue, a 2025 Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational winner. The weekend also features a full slate of free family activities, including Lego building, an Ohio School of Falconry show, sand art, face painting, a cake-decorating contest and the West Virginia National Guard’s gaming trailer.