TICKETS
Grand Champion

Hickory Hangover

Reserve Grand Champion

Deviant Smoke

RIBS
  • 1st Place

    Just For Fun BBQ

  • 2nd Place

    Red, White & Que

  • 3rd Place

    Deviant Smoke

CHICKEN
  • 1st Place

    Hickory Hangover

  • 2nd Place

    Limp Brizkit

  • 3rd Place

    Mad Rocket

Whistlestop 2023 Winners
Whistlestop 2023 Winners

Taste of Whistlestop

$125

  • Come enjoy a taste of WhistleStop. This special pass will get you a taste of all 10 of our food vendors
  • 2 Day admission into the festival
  • People’s Choice pulled pork tasting on Saturday from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm
  • Access to live music, market vendors, kids’ area, and food/drink vendors
Purchase Pass

Weekend Pass

$35

  • 2 Day admission into the festival
  • People’s Choice pulled pork tasting on Saturday from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm
  • Access to live music, market vendors, kids’ area, and food/drink vendors
Purchase Pass

Friday Ticket

$15

  • Single Day - Friday admission only
  • Access to live music, market vendors, kids’ area, and food/drink vendors
Purchase Ticket

Saturday Ticket

$25

  • Single Day - Saturday admission only
  • People’s Choice pulled pork tasting on Saturday from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm
  • Access to live music, market vendors, kids’ area, and food/drink vendors
Purchase Ticket

Team Registration

$275

  • Four cook team wristbands
  • 25x25 cook site *no pre-select
  • Access to water, ice, and electric
  • Read Cooker FAQ
Purchase Ticket
Join the Waiting List
*Tickets will be available at the gate at an increased rate (card only - no cash accepted)

WHISTLESTOP
IS BACK

WHISTLESTOP, the Rocket City BBQ Festival, has been a beloved North Alabama tradition since 2001. As a primary fundraising event for the EarlyWorks Children's Museum, the festival raises funds allowing EarlyWorks to expand its offerings and better serve the community over the years. After announcing its end last year, we are excited to announce - Whistlestop is back!

MidCity District and locally headquartered Huntsville company, Integration Innovation, Inc. (i3), have joined forces to make sure that WhistleStop is here to stay and comes back better than EVER! We have expanded the festival grounds including 10+ local food vendors offering unique options to excite your taste buds, signature WhistleStop cocktails & cold beers, snack vendors such as kettle corn and hot boiled peanuts, a tailgate zone to watch your favorite football team, a kid zone for the little ones to run around, curated market vendors, and a main stage with some INCREDIBLE music starting Friday at 5pm and all day and night Saturday!

Check out our vendors!

Food Vendors*

  • Phat Sammy's
  • Goodland Pourhouse
  • Fusion BBQ
  • Blue Oak BBQ
  • The Standard Social Market
  • Long's Craft BBQ
  • Tamarind Island Grill
  • The Camp
  • Gary's Unique Eatery
  • Hickory Store Craft BBQ
  • Nannys Lemonade
  • The Nut House
  • Rocket City Shaved Ice
  • Hustle & Pop
  • Happy Pappi
  • and more

Market Vendors

  • Fortenberry Farms
  • Furry Hippie Beard Co.
  • Backwoods Market Garden
  • Toasted Pineapple
  • Luna Moth
  • Scott Honey Farms 7 Organics
  • Pitmaster BBQ Supply
  • Sauce Daddy
  • and more
*Vendors in orange are part of the Tasting Ticket experience
Whistlestop Map

Weekend Schedule

Oct 20 FRIDAY GATES OPEN AT 4:00 PM

  • 5:00 pm

    The Dave Anderson Project

  • 7:00 pm

    Eric Michael Taylor Music

  • 9:00 pm

    Carver Commodore

  • 11:00 pm

    Festival Ends

Oct 21 Saturday Gates open at 11:00 am

  • 11:00 am

    BBQ Competition Begins

  • 12:00 pm

    The Silver Silos

  • 2:00 pm

    The StepDads

  • 4:00 pm

    Ben Loftin & The Family

  • 4:00 pm

    People's Choice

  • 6:00 pm

    Josyln & The Sweet Compression

  • 7:30 pm

    BBQ Competition Announcements & Awards

  • 8:30 pm

    JJ Grey & Mofro

  • 11:00 pm

    Festival Ends

*Schedule is subject to change
Bluewood Productions Logo City of Huntsville Logo CVB Logo Early Works Children's Museum Logo Huntsville Music Office Logo i3 Logo Jacobs Logo MidCity District Logo Octo Hospitality Redstone Federal Credit Union Logo Torch Technologis Logo Window World Logo Allied Digital Printing Logo COPT Logo Orion Ampitheater Logo Bentley Logo Yulista Logo Google Fiber Logo Pepsi Logo
Bluewood Productions Logo City of Huntsville Logo CVB Logo Early Works Children's Museum Logo Huntsville Music Office Logo i3 Logo Jacobs Logo MidCity District Logo Octo Hospitality Redstone Federal Credit Union Logo Torch Technologis Logo Window World Logo Allied Digital Printing Logo COPT Logo Orion Ampitheater Logo Bentley Logo Yulista Logo Google Fiber Logo Pepsi Logo