IT’S BACK! Whistlestop BBQ Festival returns for 23rd year in October

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — It’s back! WhistleStop, the Rocket City BBQ Festival, is returning for its 23rd year in a new location.

After previously announcing the festival would not return for 2023, festival organizers changed course and announced Monday that it would return this year.

Set for October 20-21, the festival will change locations to the Mid City District and continue to be the primary fundraiser for the EarlyWorks Children’s Museum.

Integration Innovation, Inc. (i3) will take over as the event’s primary sponsor and says they are committed to putting on a high-quality event to benefit the museum.

“We are excited to contribute to the continued investment in growing our future generations’ curiosity in STEAM.” said i3 CEO Rich Kretzschmar.

The festival began in 2001 and is known as one of the premier BBQ competitions in the South, according to one of the…