Members Only Early Bird Tickets! Join Us in Nashville - 2026 35th Anniversary Conference

It’s time to celebrate 35 years of barbecue excellence—and we can’t wait to welcome you to Music City for the 2026 NBBQA 35th Anniversary Conference in Nashville, Tennessee, happening March 25–28, 2026!

This year’s experience is designed for the heart of our community—sauce and rub makers, restaurant owners, pit builders, BBQ brands, and passionate enthusiasts—with powerful education, meaningful connections, unforgettable food, and high-energy competitions.

Members Only Early Bird Tickets (Limited!)

Members Only Early Bird Tickets are available now through January 15, 2026, and 39 tickets are still available.
If Nashville is on your calendar, this is the best time to claim your seat and be part of a milestone celebration.

Host Hotel Discount Deadline

We’re excited to offer a special conference rate at our host hotel: Hilton Garden Inn.
Discounted room rates are available through February 27, 2026.
We strongly recommend booking early to stay with the NBBQA family and be close to all conference activity.

Hotel booking link (for your blog button or hyperlink):

https://www.hilton.com/en/book/reservation/rooms/?ctyhocn=BNABRGI&arrivalDate=2026-03-24&departureDate=2026-03-29&groupCode=NBBQAA&room1NumAdults=1&cid=OM%2CWW%2CHILTONLINK%2CEN%2CDirectLink

Wednesday, March 25, 2026

🔥🎸🤠 Welcome to Nashville! 🔥🎸🤠
Day 1 is all about food, fellowship, and easing into the celebration.

10:00 AM – 4:00 PM | BBQ Restaurant & Bourbon Tour (Separate Ticket)

Climb aboard for a delicious Nashville adventure! We’ll visit four of the city’s most iconic barbecue destinations:

• 🍖 Jack’s Bar-B-Que (Tentative)

• 🔥 Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint (Tentative)

• 🍽️ Edley’s Bar-B-Que (Tentative)

• 🥃 Peg Leg Porker – Bourbon Tasting at the Tasting Room

Transportation provided.
Advance registration required.
Bus leaves from the Host Hotel – Hilton Garden Inn.

5:00 PM – 7:00 PM | Welcome Reception at Travellers Rest

Join friends—both new and old—for a relaxed evening on the beautiful grounds of historic Travellers Rest. Enjoy light appetizers, refreshing drinks, and true Southern hospitality as we open our 35th Anniversary Celebration in style.

Thursday, March 26, 2026

💰📈🔥 Grow the Business You Love 💰📈🔥
Two focused tracks built for real-world results:

Track A – Business & Branding

Track B – Operations & Growth

9:00 – 10:15 AM

• Track A: Show Me the Money – How to Fund Your BBQ Dream (Panel)

• Track B: From Kitchen to Co-Packer (Panel)

10:30 – 11:45 AM

• Track A: Profit First for Pitmasters (Workshop)

• Track B: Save While You Smoke (Panel)

12:00 – 1:15 PM
Networking Lunch: Pitmaster Power Hour
Roundtables by topic: Funding, Marketing, AI, Scaling.

1:30 – 3:15 PM

• Track A: Brand Smoke – Digital Marketing That Converts

• Track B: Menu Engineering & Pricing for Profit

3:30 – 4:45 PM

• Track A: BBQ Business Lifecycles – From First Flame to Final Sale

  • Moderator: Kell Phelps

• Track B: Hiring, Training & Keeping a Great Pit Crew (Panel)

5:00 – 9:00 PM | Awards of Excellence Dinner & Presentation

Powered by Prairie Fresh

• Buffet dinner served at 6:00 PM

• Awards presentation begins at 7:00 PM

Friday, March 27, 2026

🔥💡🚀 Scaling & Marketing Smarter 🔥💡🚀

9:00 – 10:15 AM

• Track A: Scaling Without Losing Your Smoke

• Track B: Retail Ready – Getting Your Product on Store Shelves

10:30 – 11:45 AM

• Track A: Social Media & Sales Funnels for BBQ Brands

• Track B: Smart Systems – Automating Your Daily Grind

12:00 – 1:30 PM
Meet the Masters Luncheon

1:30 – 2:45 PM

• Track A: Reel Results – Creating Short-Form Video That Sells (Hands-On Lab)

• Track B: Partnerships That Work

3:00 – 4:15 PM

• Track A: Cash Out or Pass It Down

• Track B: Next Gen BBQ – Inspiring Youth & Family Involvement

Competition Friday!

Rhinestone Cowboy Steak Cookoff

• 4:30 PM: Cooks’ Meeting

• 5:00 PM: Judges’ Meeting

• 6:00 – 6:15 PM: Anything Nashville Turn-Ins

• 7:00 – 7:15 PM: Anything Bourbon Cocktail Turn-Ins

• 8:00 – 8:30 PM: Steak Turn-Ins

• 9:00 PM: Awards

Rib Wrangler Cookoff

• 5:00 PM: Cooks’ Meeting

• 7:30 PM: Judges’ Meeting

• 7:45 – 8:15 PM: Rib Turn-Ins

• 9:00 PM: Awards

Saturday, March 28, 2026

🔥🥩🐖🏆 NBBQA Championship Saturday 🔥🥩🐖🏆

A full day of public excitement and elite-level cooking featuring:

• National Live Fire Invitational

• Steak Cookoff

• Rib Cookoff

• demos, tastings, and live music

Key moments include:

• 11:00 AM: Live Fire People’s Choice Round

• 2:00 PM: Live Fire Pork Round

• 4:00 PM: Live Fire Beef Round

• 6:30 – 7:30 PM: Awards Presentations

• 7:30 PM: Closing Toast & Farewell

This is going to be a signature year for our association, our industry, and our community.

✅ Members Only Early Bird Tickets available through January 15, 2026
🎟️ 39 tickets still available
✅ Host hotel discounted room rates available through February 27, 2026
📍 Hilton Garden Inn – Nashville
✅ Conference dates: March 25–28, 2026

We can’t wait to celebrate with you in Nashville!