There are certain signs that summer is beginning to wind down around Keuka Lake.
The mornings get a little cooler. The shadows stretch a little longer. And in Hammondsport, there's another unmistakable sign:
You start smelling barbecue.
On
Saturday, August 29, the smoke will once again begin rising over Hammondsport as the
Smoke on the Water BBQ Competition & Community Festival returns to the
Hammondsport Fire Department grounds for a full day of food, friendly competition, music and good old-fashioned community fun.
And these folks aren't simply firing up the backyard grill.
They're coming to compete.
From Hammondsport to Rochester, Elmira Heights to North Tonawanda, pitmasters are headed our way to see who can turn smoke, fire, seasoning and a whole lot of patience into some of the best BBQ around.
Meet the 2026 Pitmasters
This year's competitors are:
Rick & Rick BBQ
Victor, NY
Smokin Sensation BBQ
Branchport, NY
Smoke Man BBQ
Rushville, NY
Tame The Flame
Rochester, NY
Rack Rubbin BBQ
Lyons, NY
Polish BBQ
Hammondsport, NY
Backdraft Que
North Tonawanda, NY
Good Eats BBQ
Cohocton, NY
Get'N Sauced
Elmira Heights, NY
Smoke Eaters BBQ
Hornell, NY
That's ten teams.
Ten smokers.
Ten groups of pitmasters who probably have very definite opinions about rubs, sauces, temperatures and exactly how long you should leave that smoker lid CLOSED.
And on Saturday, Hammondsport gets to enjoy the results.
Four Rounds. One Smoky Afternoon.
The competition unfolds throughout the afternoon:
1:00 PM — Chicken
2:00 PM — Pork
3:00 PM — Mystery Category
4:00 PM — Brisket
That mystery category alone may be worth sticking around for.
But here's where things get especially good for those of us who would rather eat BBQ than judge it.
For $20, BBQ tastings give festivalgoers a chance to sample some of what these pitmasters have been tending, seasoning and smoking.
Come hungry.
We suspect you'll be glad you did.
And Then There's the Music
Because barbecue tastes even better with live music.
States Apart
takes the stage from 12:00–5:00 PM, providing the soundtrack while the smokers are rolling and the competition heats up.
And we'll admit we're just a little biased on this one.
Around here, States Apart is a Keuka Roots absolute favorite for tunes around the Crooked Lake. If they're playing, chances are we're singing along—and probably staying a little longer than we originally planned.
Great BBQ. States Apart playing. A late-summer Saturday in Hammondsport.
Yep. That's pretty much our kind of day.
Add vendors, cold adult beverages and plenty happening around the grounds, and you've got all the ingredients for one of those wonderfully simple Keuka Saturdays.
Bring the Kids, Too
Smoke on the Water isn't just for the BBQ crowd.
The Kids Zone offers bounce houses and activities with $5 unlimited access, making this one the entire family can enjoy.
And perhaps that's one of our favorite parts of events like this.
While the adults are debating brisket and barbecue sauce, the kids are bouncing, friends are catching up, music is playing, volunteers are working and somewhere behind all of it, another smoker is being opened to reveal something that's been cooking low and slow for hours.
That's community.
More Than BBQ
As much fun as the competition is, there's something important underneath all that smoke.
Smoke on the Water is hosted by the
Hammondsport Fire Department.
These are the people who answer the call when their neighbors need them.
And events like this are also an opportunity for the rest of us to show up for them.
It is one of the things small towns do especially well.
We gather.
We volunteer.
We eat.
We laugh.
We listen to some pretty great music.
And we support one another.
Sometimes, if we're lucky, we get to do all of that while eating really good BBQ.
Smoke on the Water 2026
Saturday, August 29, 2026
11:00 AM–6:00 PM
Hammondsport Fire Department
8521 State Route 54
Hammondsport, NY
BBQ Tastings — $20
Kids Zone — $5 Unlimited
States Apart — 12:00–5:00 PM
Vendors • Cold Adult Beverages • Live Entertainment • Family Fun
Rain or Shine
Vendor purchases are pay-as-you-go.
So grab the family.
Bring your appetite.
Follow the smell of wood smoke.
Cheer on your favorite pitmaster.
Sing along with States Apart.
And spend one of these final Saturdays of August supporting the people who help take care of this little corner of the world we call home.
Because this Saturday in Hammondsport...
there's going to be
Smoke on the Water.
And judging by that competitor list, some pretty incredible BBQ on the plate.
We'll see you there.
Stay Rooted. Stay Keuka.™
