Sample Award-winning BBQ At The Pitmaster Classic This August

Competition BBQ has found a welcoming home in Montana. Some of the winningest cooking teams in the country are based in Montana. Not to mention, the Montana Pitmaster Classic at Kenyon Noble has become a wildly popular BBQ contest.

• WHAT: 2025 Montana Pitmaster Classic
• WHEN: FRIDAY, AUGUST 22nd (5 PM - 8 PM) and SATURDAY, AUGUST 23rd (12 PM - 4 PM)
• WHERE: Kenyon Noble Lumber & Hardware (Bozeman, MT)

Want to try a real competition BBQ? A select number of competitors will be selling their delicious competition BBQ turn-ins starting at 12 pm. You'll be eating the exact same meats they turned into the judges.

This is a Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) sanctioned competition event. That's important for several reasons, not just because it sounds cool. The Montana Pitmaster Classic is legit, well organized, and a ton of fun.

FIND BBQ COMPETITIONS

"Montana ranks as the U.S. state that loves BBQ best, based on barbecue restaurants per capita, plus search volume for terms like brisket, ribs, and BBQ sauce." (Travel Mamas)

Competing in this barbeque contest is almost as much fun as judging the event. It's a difficult judging process, entirely run and overseen by the KBCS - ensuring legitimacy.

(In full transparency, I've been a judge at the Montana Pitmaster Classic almost every year since it began. Everyone who judges, takes the process very seriously.)

2025 will be the 8th annual Montana Pitmaster Classic. It's a family friendly event that spans a Friday and Saturday at Kenyon Noble in Bozeman, Montana.

Friday night is a community party with live music and small plates available for purchase. It's open the the public and a fundraiser for the YMCA.

Saturday is competition day, where the public is also welcome. Supporting the teams and learning from talented product reps is a lot of fun - and then the awards happen on Saturday afternoon.

Get our free mobile app

"KCBS sanctions BBQ and grilling competitions across the U.S. and promotes barbeque as America's cuisine. In addition, KCBS has an extensive Certified Barbeque Judging program that standardizes and ensures integrity in the judging process. It is the largest society of barbeque enthusiasts in the world." (KCBS)