Fire Ant Festival winners
Off the Chain took back‑to‑back Grand Champion titles at the 2026 Fire Ant Festival, while Big Baer’s BBQ earned Reserve Champion — a clean sweep for those teams on the competitive BBQ circuit. If you follow contest BBQ, these are the names to watch this season. (bbqga.org)
The Fire Ant Festival BBQ Bash was held in Ashburn, Georgia on March 27, 2026. (exploregeorgia.org) Nine teams advanced to the finals in the Georgia Barbecue Association–sanctioned competition at the festival. (bbqga.org) Loin finals finished: Off the Chain (1st), Union Street BBQ (2nd) and Pig‑EEE‑licious (3rd); pulled-pork finals finished: Shark Bite BBQ (1st), Bad Rooster BBQ (2nd) and The Look and The Cook (3rd). (bbqga.org) Rib category results were Rustic Que (1st), Big Baer’s BBQ (2nd) and Grills Gone Wild (3rd), while chicken results were Flaming Hogs BBQ (1st), Off the Chain (2nd) and Bad Rooster BBQ (3rd). (bbqga.org) Ewa Belcastro accepted the award on behalf of the Off the Chain team during the festival’s awards ceremony. (bbqga.org) Organizers reported the highest vendor count since the festival’s early years even though overall attendance did not set a record, and the event committee is already planning the 2027 festival. (thewiregrassfarmer.com) The Fire Ant Festival’s 2026 BBQ application shows ancillary-category payouts included $400 for first place in the chicken ancillary division. (fireantfestival.com)
