About the Festival
Join us for the BankPlus Red Beans & BBQ Festival, a vibrant, family-friendly celebration of food, music, and community—created to support one vital cause: caring for our neighbors in need. Proceeds from this event benefit Stewpot Community Services, whose mission is to provide compassionate care to those in need—offering food, shelter, clothing, and hope to our neighbors facing hunger and homelessness.
On Saturday, October 25th from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Belhaven Town Center, the air will be filled with the irresistible aromas of smoky barbecue and savory red beans as local restaurants, businesses, and congregations compete for culinary bragging rights. Festival-goers will vote and cheer as Cook Teams face off for honors like Best BBQ, Best Beans, Best Cook Team Tent, and the coveted People’s Choice Award.
But that’s not all—enjoy live music, ice-cold drinks, and children’s activities as you stroll through the festival. It’s the perfect way to spend a fall afternoon with friends and neighbors, all while supporting Stewpot, your favorite Mississippi Homegrown Charity.
Come for the food. Stay for the fellowship. Leave with a full heart (and belly).
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Form a Cook Team
Form a team with your friend group, business, or congregation and show off your culinary skills to the community! Apply online by October 20th.
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Purchase Tickets
Tickets are $15 each or $45 for a family four-pack. Please note that processing fees are applied when tickets are purchased online.
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Sponsor the Event
As a sponsor, you’ll be aligned with a beloved community tradition and a well-loved cause that makes an impact in your local community.
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Sell Arts & Crafts
We love having arts and crafts vendors join us at the festival! Submit an application by clicking the link below.
Calling all Pitmasters and Chefs…
Got a winning recipe and a love for community? Join the fun at Stewpot’s Red Beans & BBQ Festival! Whether you're a backyard pitmaster, a restaurant pro, or just love to cook with friends, we want you on the lineup. Every year, we welcome teams from friend groups, social clubs, congregations, businesses, restaurants, and nonprofits to bring the heat in this friendly, flavor-packed competition. Ready to show off your skills for a great cause? Visit our Cook Team Info page or shoot us an email to get started!
Nominate a Judge
We welcome members of our community to nominate someone to be a Judge at Red Beans & BBQ. Judges are chosen based on their involvement in the community, appreciation for good food and drink, and a love for Stewpot. Judges receive free admission to the event and vote on participating restaurants/businesses in the following categories: Best Barbecue, Best Beans, Best Side, and Best Dessert. Submissions will be closed on Monday, October 6, 2025.
2024 SPONSORS
FAQs
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Tickets are $15 each + a $1.88 processing fee. A Family Four-Pack can also be purchased for $45 + a $6.92 processing fee. Stewpot uses a ticketing platform called Humantix that donates 100% of processing fees to non-profits.
Tickets will also be available for purchase the day of the event. Cash, check, and cards are all accepted.
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Anyone! The neat thing abut this festival is that you will see all kinds of groups cooking alonside each other on event day: law firms, congregations, friend groups, non-profit organizations, etc. The more the merrier!
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Children 4 and under get in free! If your child is 5 or older, please purchase them a ticket as well.
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Your ticket allows you to taste as many samples from as many Cook Teams as you like! There will also be live bands throughout the day and activities for children. Alcoholic drinks are available for purchase at Fertile Ground, Good Bar, Pulito, Rowan’s, and Elvie’s.
Contact Us
Interested in learning more or have a question about the festival? Fill out our contact form and someone will be in touch!