Tickets go on sale today for inaugural Hog & Barrel Festival in November

A three-day festival dedicated to the Southern staples of bourbon, BBQ and bacon aims to join the list of can’t miss Upstate events.
Tickets go on sale today for the inaugural Hog & Barrel: A Bourbon, BBQ & Bacon Festival to be held Nov. 5-7, 2021 at the historic Old Cigar Warehouse in downtown Greenville. The event will include everything from exclusive bourbon tastings to live music and a Sunday brunch.
“This is three days of some of the best barbecue and the best bourbon from across the Southeast,” said Tammy Johnson, president of High Spirits Events, producer of Tacos ‘N Tequila for the past five years and the brains behind Hog & Barrel Festival. “This isn’t just a pig-picking. This isn’t a wine tasting. This is a festival for those who want a new and one-of-its-kind experience.”
Hog & Barrel Festival will begin on Friday, Nov. 5, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. with a special “Meet The Makers” event where sponsors and Super VIP ticket holders can meet master distillers, national brand ambassadors and distillery owners.
The festival’s showcase event will be Saturday’s “Bourbonpalooza” from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Top Greenville chefs will prepare their favorite barbecue recipes while area mixologists craft unique bourbon cocktails. Priority and VIP ticketholders may also participate in The Bourbon Experience, where they can sample 30+ different bourbons. When attendees are not eating or drinking, they can play games or enjoy live music from the Jake Bartley Band and 3 & Twenty.
On Sunday, Nov. 7, from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., the “Makin’ Bacon Bourbon Brunch” will feature classic brunch cocktails with a bourbon twist and live music by Corey Stephenson.
Hog & Barrel Festival is a food and cocktail competition with $5,000 in cash prizes being awarded in 15 “Best Of” categories including best barbecue, best bourbon-based dish, best bacon dish, best bourbon cocktail and best dessert. The event also will be raising funds to support The Culinary Institute of the Carolinas at Greenville Technical College, which provides students with basic food knowledge and culinary techniques for classical and current trends.
Tickets for the inaugural Hog & Barrel festival can be purchased at hogandbarrelfestival.com.