Every Question Answered About the 2nd Annual Railyard BBQ Brawl in Madison

Explore, Family, Fun

September 21, 2022

On Saturday, October 29th, I can’t wait to load up my family, head to downtown Madison, and find a sunny spot in the field next to Old Black Bear to set up, spread out, and relish in a day of savory barbecue, country music, and a family-friendly atmosphere that we’ll all be able to take part in and enjoy.

Railyard BBQ Brawl 2022 | Madison, Alabama

We’ll set up chairs, spread out blankets, and watch our kids sprint around the field in between bouncing on the inflatables while we hang with friends, sample a slew of barbecue, and soak up all of the goodness of the 2nd Annual Railyard BBQ and Music Festival!

The developers of this future staple festival here in Madison promise to deliver a memorable day and experience that will have attendees making plans to return next year and the next, and for the next decade after that. This one is here to stay!

What is the Railyard BBQ and Music Fest?

It’s a Saturday event that combines a Kansas City Barbecue Society (KCBS) sanctioned competition with an afternoon country music festival. It takes place in the southeast corner of downtown Madison and will feature four live artists, 40 barbecue competitors, food trucks, inflatables, various vendors, and of course, barbecue samples!

How much is it?

Tickets are available to purchase online now for $20 or can be purchased on the day of the festival for $25 each. Children 10 and under are completely free, so bring the family!

What does the ticket price include?

When you arrive at the festival, you’ll check in and receive your wristband which grants you access to roam the festival as you’d like. You’ll also be able to come and go throughout the day as long as you keep your wristband on.

Access to the festival includes free barbecue samples, unlimited playtime on the inflatables (for the kids!), and free reign to set up your chairs and blankets for the afternoon/evening music fest. Those with wristbands are invited to roam about the barbecue festival throughout the day, where competitors will be encouraged to provide samples of the meats they’re submitting to be judged. There will also be 500+ pounds of barbecue being smoked in the center of the festival with free samples handed out while supplies last.

What are the non-barbecue food and drink options at the festival?

Canned beer, wine, and cocktails will be sold throughout the day. Guests will be directed to purchase tokens (cards only as this is a cashless event), and then each canned beverage will be one token.

Buffalo Rock will also be supplying Pepsi and Pepsi products for purchase.

Food trucks will also be on-site throughout the day, including Nanny’s Old Fashioned Lemonade, Kona Ice, Traveling Tom’s Coffee Truck, a cookie dough truck, and more!

What about parking?

Parking is free throughout downtown Madison and at the Madison City School stadium! There will be a complimentary shuttle running from the stadium throughout the entire festival. Guests are also welcome to park at the stadium (or anywhere they can find a spot within close proximity) and walk.

Can I bring my dog?

Absolutely, but he or she must be leashed 100% of the time (and please bring bags to pick up after your pooch!)

What kind of barbecue will there be to sample?

This element of suspense will be left as a surprise! There’s no telling what the 15 professional teams will be whipping up, but they’re sure to bring their best since many are hoping to use this competition to qualify for the big Jack Daniel KCBS event. Though these professionals (and the 25 non-professional competitors) are not obligated to offer samples, many will be ready to offer their creations.

In the center of the BBQ portion of the festival will be an area designated for complimentary samples, courtesy of Sysco. BBQ masters from Chuck Wagon BBQ, Big John’s BBQ, and more will be hanging out for the day whipping up their tastiest barbecue for festival attendees of all ages to sample. Enjoy!

“I attended the Railyard BBQ and Music Fest last year. What are the biggest changes to expect?”

1. For starters, the complimentary shuttle service is new, so feel free to park at the Madison City Schools stadium and take a ride over!

2. Additionally, the field layout will be flip-flopped; The music stage will now be in the northwest corner of the field. The ticketing area and main entrance will be in the southwest corner of the field. The BBQ competition will now be on the east side of the field (last year it was on the west side).

3. There will also be a handful of vendors this year as well as monitored bounce houses set up all day long.

4. Last year children older than five required a ticket. This year children 10 and under are free!

5. The biggest difference from last year to this year is that ticket prices were reduced from $35 to just $20 if you buy online ($25 at the door).

Other Things to Note

Alabama football will be on a bye week, so if watching Alabama football is a dealbreaker for you, take that concern off your plate!

This is a rain or shine event.

Oh, and guess who’s proud to emcee the event? I’m looking forward to seeing you there and am honored to co-emcee with Clay “Freak Daddy” Coleman with the Huntsville Havoc.

Personal tips for making the most of your ticket to the Railyard BBQ and Music Fest: I would suggest arriving around noon, bringing your chairs and blankets, checking in to get your wristbands, and finding a spot in the stage area to set up. Make sure your friends and family arrive around the same time so that you can all set up together. Walk around for a bit, check out the vendors, and sample as much barbecue as you can for lunch. Grab a lemonade or a canned beer or wine, let the kids play on the inflatables, and then head out for a few hours.

Grab a babysitter for the kids or bring them back with you that afternoon around 4 p.m. for the concert (keep in mind that it’ll be getting dark by the final couple of acts). Take your seats, grab a drink, and enjoy the music for the afternoon/evening. It should all wrap up by 8:30 p.m. (the first act goes on around 4 p.m.)