The Pigs & Peaches BBQ Festival celebrated its 18th year in Kennesaw at Adams Park on September 24 and 25. With Southern cooking and family fun, the festival brought together the community and displayed Georgia’s famous Southern hospitality.

“I thought the Pigs & Peaches Festival was definitely very interesting to see because there was a lot of good Southern food like fried pickles and boiled peanuts— just a big assortment of fried, Southern food that was fun to sample. The people were very nice. I got a free lemonade,” junior Maggie Glancy said.

The festival attracts around 65,000 attendees each year, bringing together BBQ lovers and fried food enthusiasts alike. Vendors set up along the roads in Adams Park, advertising food, restaurants, and other miscellaneous products.

Vendors expressed immediate friendliness to attendees when approached, displaying genuine Southern hospitality. Despite a variety of vendors attending the festival, the positive attitude persisted throughout the day-long event.

The BBQ extravaganza began in 2000 as a small competition between amateur grillers. This trend continued until 2007, when the event garnered attention from the community and hungry passersby.

Visitors, entering admission free, could enjoy live music and performances, any assortment of fried food, and, of course, top-notch barbeque. A band played upbeat country music that added atmosphere to the festival. Performances from different organizations, such as local dance studios, followed on the main stage near the train tracks. Saturday night, the festival ended with a stunning fireworks show at 9:30 p.m.

“I thought that the music was popping and it really elevated the mood of Pigs & Peaches. The venue was really nice and the lineup was also super cool,” senior Chesley Lucas said.

Small town festivals such as these bring the community together and display the local culture while warming attendees’ hearts and stomachs with delicious meals and positive attitudes.