Elkhorn Ribfest 2026: BBQ, Bands, Carnival Rides, and Five Days at the Walworth County Fairgrounds

Hey Lake Lovers!

There are summer events, and then there are events you can smell before you even park the car.

Elkhorn Ribfest is back Wednesday, July 15 through Sunday, July 19, 2026, and this one is a full Walworth County summer takeover. Five days at the Walworth County Fairgrounds with professional pit masters, backyard BBQ competitors, live music on two stages, carnival rides, artisan vendors, cold drinks, People’s Choice voting, and enough sauce-covered decision-making to make a grown adult stand in front of a rib stand like they’re choosing a college major.

Honestly, that’s part of the charm.

Elkhorn Ribfest feels like summer found a smoker, a beer tent, a carnival midway, and a stage full of guitars, then said, “Yep. We’re good.”

What Is Elkhorn Ribfest 2026?

Elkhorn Ribfest 2026 is a five-day BBQ and music festival held at the Walworth County Fairgrounds in Elkhorn, Wisconsin. The event features free admission, free parking, award-winning BBQ vendors, backyard grillers, live music on two stages, carnival rides, artisan shopping, a Thursday bike show, People’s Choice voting, and Sunday awards.

Quick details:

Elkhorn Ribfest 2026 Dates and Hours

Here’s the schedule to save before you start texting everyone you know.

The official Ribfest pages list the event as free admission and free parking, which is nice because you can put the budget where it belongs: ribs, mac ’n cheese, kettle corn, mini donuts, and the thing you didn’t plan to buy from Artisan Alley but absolutely are taking home.

Why Ribfest Belongs on Your Lake Geneva Weekend List

Elkhorn sits right in the middle of the greater Lake Geneva area, which makes Ribfest an easy add-on for visitors staying in Lake Geneva, Williams Bay, Fontana, Delavan, East Troy, Walworth, Burlington, Twin Lakes, or anywhere nearby.

Do the lake in the morning. Head to Ribfest in the afternoon. Stay for music. Wander through the carnival. Argue over which BBQ vendor has the best sauce like you’ve suddenly become a certified judge.

Actually, scratch that. You kind of are.

The event includes People’s Choice voting, and new for 2026, visitors can also vote for People’s Choice Mac ’n Cheese. Mac ’n cheese voting at a rib festival feels correct. No notes.

BBQ Vendors and Pit Masters

This is the main attraction. The official Ribfest site features professional pit masters and backyard BBQ teams, with more food vendors listed on the official Ribfest Vendors page.

Featured Pro Pit Masters

The official Ribfest site lists these pro pit masters for 2026:

• Aussom Aussie
• BBQ King Smokehouse
• Big Show BBQ
• Buck Em BBQ
• Carolina Rib King
• Cowboys BBQ & Rib Co.
• Git-R-Smoked
• Just North of Memphis BBQ
• Salt Creek BBQ
• Mr. Greens

If you are the kind of person who says, “I’ll just try a bite,” good luck. This is not that kind of event. You will have sauce on your hands. Probably your shirt. Maybe your phone.

It happens.

Backyard BBQ Rib Competitors

The backyard division brings the local bragging-rights energy. These are the teams that make you wonder what exactly is happening in everyone’s garage all summer.

• AA BBQ
• BBQ Bros
• Best Smoked BBQ
• The Brisket Brothers
• Bulldog Backyard BBQ
• Burton’s BBQ
• Dso’s Texas Style BBQ
• Jampa BBQ
• JBBBBBBBBBBQ’n
• Johnny’s Smoke Show
• KB’s BBQ
• Last Place BBQ
• M2 BBQ
• Pit Stains
• Pork Lives Matter
• Puck Stop BBQ
• Ricky’s Ribs
• Smok’n Bandits
• Smoke The Pig BBQ
• Smokey Squatch
• Tall Dad BBQ
• Wapatui Smokers
• Lard Ash BBQ

Backyard BBQ cooking starts Sunday at 9:00 AM, judging runs 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM, and awards are scheduled for 5:45 PM on the Main Stage.

That is a serious Sunday.

Non-BBQ Food Vendors

Not everyone can survive on ribs alone.

Some people will try. We support them emotionally.

The official Ribfest Vendors page also lists non-BBQ food vendors, including:

• Ben’s Pretzels
• By the Dozen Bakery
• Carolina Catering
• Cinnamon City
• Cottage Grove Kettle Corn
• Desserts 1st Bakery & Cake Shop
• Flip’s Mini Donuts
• Ice Cream On The Fly
• Frutas Gonzalez
• Lefty’s Too
• Mark Lake Enterprises
• Noodle Paradise
• Pinky’s
• Sally Sue’s Concessions

So yes, you can bring the friend who says they “aren’t really a rib person.” They will be fine. They may leave with mini donuts and a bag of kettle corn.

Music Lineup and Daily Schedule

Ribfest features live music on two stages. The official Ribfest Music Lineup lists performers by day, but exact set times for every act were not published on the official lineup page at the time this article was written. Check the official lineup before you go if you are chasing a specific band.

Wednesday, July 15

• Cherry Pie
• Blue Rose
• My Weekend Crush
• Indigo Canyon

Wednesday starts at 3:00 PM, which is dangerous in the best possible way. You can call it “stopping by for dinner” and somehow still be there when the lights come on.

Thursday, July 16

• Bella Cain
• Jonny Lyons & the Pride
• Mac OBrien and Band
• Lucky Pickers
• Drums & Roses
• Sonya & Geoff

Thursday also brings the Elkhorn Ribfest Bike Show. Bike arrival runs 3:30 PM to 6:00 PM, and entry is free until the festival grounds are full.

Bike Show categories include:

• Best Bagger
• Best Bobber
• Best Chopper
• Best Cruiser
• Best Freestyle
• Best Vintage

Category winners receive $200 and a trophy, and the Grand Champion receives $350 and a trophy.

If your perfect Thursday includes bikes, BBQ, country-rock energy, and a fairgrounds crowd that came ready to stay a while, this is probably your day.

Friday, July 17

• Madison County
• The GooRoos
• The Who’s Who
• Breaking Cadence
• Dan Fester
• Terry Byrne

Friday runs 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM, so yes, lunch ribs and dinner ribs are both on the table.

No judgment from us.

Saturday, July 18

• Rival 5
• Kashmir
• Buster Daizy
• Roseland
• Lara Bell
• Vandwellers

Saturday is the big festival-energy day. Bring lawn chairs, bring patience for popular food lines, and maybe do not wear the white shirt.

I’m not your boss, but still.

Sunday, July 19

• Prince Experience
• Ivy Ford
• Cornfield Keg Party
• 1703

Sunday runs 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM, with awards scheduled for 5:45 PM on the Main Stage. This is the day for final BBQ sampling, People’s Choice energy, and that last slow walk past the vendors where you swear you’re only looking.

Sure.

Other Ribfest Highlights

Ribfest is built around BBQ and music, but there is a lot more happening once you get inside the fairgrounds.

Carnival Rides

Carnival rides are part of the festival, which makes this an easy win for kids, teens, and adults who pretend they don’t care about rides, then somehow end up in line.

Artisan Vendor Alley

Artisan Vendor Alley brings handmade goods to the festival, which gives you a nice browse-and-shop break between rib runs and music sets.

Commercial Vendors

The vendor area also includes commercial vendors, with shopping, BBQ-related businesses, outdoor brands, gifts, and local sellers. The official vendor list is posted here: Wisconsin Ribfest Vendors.

People’s Choice Voting

People’s Choice voting is one of the best parts of Ribfest. You eat, compare, vote, and then tell everyone else they are wrong.

New for 2026, visitors can vote for People’s Choice Mac ’n Cheese too.

Thursday Bike Show

The Elkhorn Ribfest Bike Show happens Thursday, July 16, with bike arrival from 3:30 PM to 6:00 PM. The show is free to enter and takes place inside the festival grounds until full.

Sunday Awards

Awards are scheduled for Sunday, July 19 at 5:45 PM on the Main Stage.

Planning Tips for Elkhorn Ribfest

A few friendly notes before you go:

• Bring lawn chairs if you want to settle in for music.
• Wear shoes made for fairgrounds walking.
• Check the official Ribfest site before leaving, especially if weather looks moody.
• Bring cash and cards, since vendor payment options may vary.
• Plan extra time if you are going Friday or Saturday evening.
• Vote in People’s Choice if you want the full Ribfest experience.
• Do not wait until the last hour Sunday if there is a BBQ vendor you have your heart set on.

And grab napkins before you think you need them. This is the kind of wisdom nobody respects until it is too late.

Make It a Lake Geneva Weekend

Elkhorn Ribfest pairs nicely with a longer Lake Geneva area stay. You can spend the morning on Geneva Lake, hit Ribfest in the afternoon, then head back toward Lake Geneva, Williams Bay, Fontana, Delavan, or East Troy for the rest of the night.

That is the fun of this corner of Wisconsin. One minute you are near the water, the next you are at the fairgrounds eating ribs while a band plays and someone in your group is trying to justify carnival dessert after BBQ.

It’s summer. Let them live.

For the full regional calendar, visit LakeGenevaWeekend.com and keep an eye on the weekly What’s Happening at The Lake updates.

And if all these weekends around the lake have you thinking about making this area more than a place you visit, Kim and Joel Reyenga with eXp Realty can help you search Lake Geneva area homes at YourWiscoHome.com.

Quick Ribfest FAQ