Owensboro, Kentucky is considered as the Barbecue Capital of the world. Since 1979, an International Barbecue Festival is held in the state every year, which schedules every 2nd*week of the month of May. Aside from showcasing some mouth-watering country barbecue, the main goal of the event is to raise money for the support of local charity.

For two straight days, your mouth will water over several tons of mutton, a few thousand chickens, and over a thousand gallons of Kentucky burgoo, a soup whose main ingredients include mutton, chicken, cabbage, tomatoes, potatoes, and corn.

The first barbecue festival was a result of a competition held between Roman Catholic churches in the area. Each summer, the churches would gather in their own parishes to hold picnics and barbecue parties. Later on, the churches decided to compete as to who could cook the best barbecue. This led to the International Barbecue Festival that around 40,000 people enjoy today.