DECATUR – Barbeque and music take center stage next month when the Riverfest BBQ and Music Fest sets up along the banks of the Tennessee River in Decatur. Set for August 27-28, 2021, at Ingalls Harbor, Riverfest brings together pitmasters from across the country for some fierce barbeque competition as festivalgoers enjoy family-friendly fun and live music. Headlining this year’s event is Parmalee, a 2016 ACM “New Vocal Duo/Group of the Year” nominee.
Gates open Friday, Aug. 27th at 5 p.m. There will be food trucks offering a variety of entrees as everyone enjoys live music which gets underway at 5:30 p.m. Slated to perform are high energy country band Sipsey Falls, modern
country and rock band The Shannon Woods Band, Jesse Priest Music, offering a mix between outlaw country and todays modern country, and headliner Parmalee, a country music band consisting of brothers Matt Thomas and Scott Thomas, cousin Barry Knox and childhood best friend Josh McSwain. The band has made six entries on the Billboard Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts, with two number-one singles on the latter: “Carolina” in 2013, and “Just the Way”, a collaboration with Blanco Brown, in 2021. Tickets are $10/person.
On Saturday, Aug. 28th, gates open at 10 a.m. and the day’s main attraction will be the Steak Cookoff Association (SCA) sanctioned Double Steak Competition with a Smithfield pork ancillary and a Jack Daniels’ cocktail ancillary. Registration to participate in the barbeque competition is available at www.steakcookoffs.com. In addition to the cook-off, there will be vendors and a children’s area (nominal fee to participate in some activities). Admission is free.
This year’s competition is in partnership with Bama-Q, a tv show dedicated to the world of food sport. The crew has covered barbeque competitions all over the southeastern U.S. Beginning this year, Bama-Q along with Alabama Coasting joined the SCA and created the Bama-Q Grilling Challenge Series. Eight cook-offs set across Alabama and the Florida Panhandle will feature SCA competitions and be broadcast across the Bama-Q TV network of independent channels, streaming services, and digital programs. For more information, visit https://bama-q.tv/.
Hosted by Mosaic Mentoring of North Alabama, the festival runs from 5:30 to 10 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Proceeds benefit Mosaic Mentoring of North Alabama. For more information on Riverfest, visit http://www.mosaicnorthal.org/
Media Release/ Danielle Gibson, President & CEO
Decatur Morgan County Tourism, Inc.
