May 2-5

KANNAPOLIS — Jiggy with the Piggy 2019 returns May 2-5 in downtown Kannapolis. The festival has been named a Top 20 Event by the Southeastern Tourism Society.

Once again 60 BBQ competition teams from across the U.S. will compete for thousands of dollars in the competition on the North Carolina Research Campus sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbeque Society.

The signature Friday night concert features multi-platinum country recording artist Joe Nichols.

Performing on Saturday will be Chase Bryant, whose grandfather played piano for Roy Orbison and Waylon Jennings. His uncles cofounded the group Ricochet.

The festival will have more than 100 arts & crafts vendors, concerts, a 5K walk/run, fireworks and a People’s Choice wings and pork tasting.

This year the Kannapolis Firefighter’s Association will be back, bringing their cooking skills to the festival and selling barbeque to the public. There are also more barbeque and food vendors than ever before.

Events for children include the popular Zucchini 600 where children can build a race car out of zucchini and race for prizes. Movies on Campus returns, sponsored by the 600 Festival,  showing “Wreck-It Ralph 2.”

The festival and the concerts are free to the public. No pets please. For more information and a complete schedule of Jiggy fun events, visit www.jiggywiththepiggy.com