Q Fest 2023 Sponsorship!

Request Tickets Here!

Tickets are required for the event and to claim a ballot for voting in the competition. Tickets to this event are FREE but allow us to prepare for the amount of food and drinks we need to provide. They also allow us to track guest invites to make sure no competition team has an unfair advantage in voting. You may  request up to four tickets per request. Tickets are sent on a first come first serve basis. Event tickets are limited to 200. HERE MEAT ADDICTS!

Q Fest is back for our 10th (almost) Annual event on Saturday, August 12, 2023!

Team registration is now open and plans for the event are starting to take shape. Please mark your calendars and look for tickets details soon here on the website or on our Facebook Page. We will once again feature tastings from a variety of cooking teams competing for your vote, Jill's cookie contest, open bar, live music and friendship! If you are interested in competing, we have spaces open. Contact me via the link on this page or message me through our Facebook account. Competitor or guest...all the info you need is below. Thank you all for your continued support and encouragement!

What Is Q Fest?

Q  Fest is an annual amateur backyard barbecue and grilling competition in Amherst, NY. We welcome all amateur barbecue and grilling enthusiasts who want to gain experience in a competitive food challenge, or who simply want to have fun and make new friends during an afternoon of great food, live music, and cold drinks. 

For all of us who have participated, Q Fest is much more than just barbecue. It has always been a celebration of family and friendship! Although the barbecue is what ties it all together, it would not be Q Fest without the people, the music, and yes, tipping back a few cold beverages together!

The event has grown each year and has been attended by as many as 200 guests!

We have been proud each year to use this event to raise money and awareness for local animal rescue efforts and facilities. We do not sell tickets to this event, but rather ask that each person consider a small donation to help local non-profit animal rescue groups. Over the years, we have been able to make significant contributions with the help of all our guests.  Each year after the event, we share the donation news with our followers on Facebook and include a few pictures of the animals we helped save. 

The original version of this website back in 2011 contained an amusing history of our interest in barbecue and Q Fest. It is an exercise in stupidity and crudeness, so read at your own risk. Don't say you weren't warned...HERE.

Competition Info

Registered teams, usually consisting of 2-3 people, pay a small fee to participate. All registration fees go directly to cash prizes awarded to teams in a People's Choice and a Judge's Choice contest. Each registered team is given 10 guest tickets for family and friends, with additional tickets given out free of charge on a first come first serve basis.

During the event, teams serve small, sample portions of their food,  and every guest with a ticket gets a vote for the best food of the day. Teams also serve sample portions to a panel  of judges who critique and award prizes. The number of teams competing changes each year, but we seem to have settled into a steady average of about ten teams. We can take up to 16 and are always looking for new teams to  join us. 

Guests can also get involved by bringing a plate of home-baked cookies and entering them in Jill's annual Cookie Contest.

If you are interested in competing if and when there is another Q Fest, you can find the full set of rules HERE.