Peak City Pig Fest Brings Barbecue and Bourbon to Downtown Apex

The Triangle's most delicious rivalry returns this weekend. Peak City Pig Fest, held April 10 and 11 in downtown Apex (a short drive from Raleigh and Durham), pits local BBQ pitmasters against each other in an open-air festival that draws eastern-North-Carolina-vinegar and western-Lexington-style partisans into the same block-long cookoff. The main event is Friday night's Police vs Fire rib eating contest, which is exactly as chaotic as it sounds.

Beyond the competition, the festival includes food trucks, a beer garden, a cooking class, live music, family activities, and local vendors spanning two days. Admission is free, parking is walkable from downtown Apex, and the smoke that drifts through the streets by noon Saturday is worth the drive alone.

If you're going: arrive hungry Friday evening for the rib contest. Saturday afternoon is the best window for tasting the vendor competition plates. Bring cash for sides and dessert from the smaller booths.

Sources: WRAL April events, Triangle on the Cheap