BBQ Fest on the Neuse gives back nearly $40,000 to community
902 Church Mission Trip. Photo: Submitted Photo.
The 2025 BBQ Fest on the Neuse is closing the season with more than just memories of whole hog barbecue and packed downtown streets. This year, the festival returned nearly $40,000 to local organizations and initiatives.
Festival organizers credited sponsors, vendors, volunteers and attendees with making the giving possible.
“The BBQ Festival not only gives our community the opportunity to bring in thousands of visitors to celebrate our pork heritage and to showcase what we have to offer in our city and county, but it also gives our board and many other nonprofits the opportunity to raise funds that can be used to reinvest into local causes,” said Tammy Kelly, BBQ Fest board member. “It takes a village to host a festival the size and scope of the BBQ Fest, and the BBQ Fest is proud to in turn support our village.”
Organizers said the festival’s mission has always been more than food and entertainment.
“It’s very important to give back to the community that supports what we do,” said board chair Waylon Adams. “The BBQ Fest has grown over the years thanks to this community, and we feel it’s only right to give back — nearly $40,000 this year.”
By supporting local programs, scholarships and youth activities, the BBQ Fest invests directly in the people and organizations that keep the community strong.
The funding will support groups across the community, including:
902 Church Mission Trip
North Lenoir Drama Department
Lenoir County Extension Master Gardeners
Kinston Lenoir County 10U Softball All Stars
Pawsitive Change
CSS Neuse II
Community Council for the Arts
Lenoir County Education Foundation
Lenoir County 4-H
Lenoir Community College endowed scholarship
Neuse News is an independent, locally-owned startup based in downtown Kinston. We’re committed to providing free, hyper-local news across Lenoir, Greene, and Jones counties—the kind of stories that matter most, delivered in a format built for today.
We don't charge subscriptions. Instead, we rely on readers like you—and the businesses that serve our community. When you shop local, dine local, and click on our sponsor ads, you help us keep real journalism free and accessible.
