Smithfield VA Bacon & Bourbon Fest

UPDATE: 10/2/2026 - TOTALLY SOLD OUT! 
Fest Date: October 3, 2026
​Windsor Castle Park
Downtown Smithfield VA
​21 & Up Only. 
11:00 am - 5:00 pm
(*Early Admission for Sponsors & Early Bird Indiv Tix)
****
Noon - 5:00 pm
(General Admission & Non-Sponsor Tables)
You asked....
More Bourbon Stations & Bourbon Tasting Tickets

Due to the tremendous demand for our Bourbon Tasting Tickets, (which historically sell out in just a few days) we've expanded the bourbon tasting experience throughout the festival grounds, allowing us to offer more Bourbon Tasting Tickets than ever before. 
Check out What's New and then keep scrolling down this page for tix release dates, all the details & FAQ's about this year's festival. Bourbon List is even posted! 
WHAT'S NEW FOR 2026:
  • To make room for MORE bourbon tasting stations, we replaced the brew tasting booths with additional bourbon tasting locations which also allowed for expanded cocktail and more non-alcoholic beverage offerings.
  • Check out the (5) New Bourbon Booths in the new Castle Green Village, (formally called the Brew Village). The area between the red barns is now called Red Barn Road Village and has bourbon stations just like before.
  • See new site map by clicking here. 
  • While brew tastings are no longer included with admission, guests will still find plenty of brews & other beverage options to purchase.
  • In the back of Castle Green Village there is "100 Feet of Beverages" with both alcoholic and non-alcoholic options. 
  • Alcoholic options include: VA Craft & domestic brews, wine, old fashioned cocktail, a variety of margaritas and canned cocktails. 
  • Our expanded Non-Alcoholic booth has a variety of non-alcoholic beers, canned mocktails, sodas, and water available for purchase.
2026 TICKET OPTIONS: 
​All types of tickets include: Fest entry, 1/2 lb. of Smithfield Bacon, trip thru the Bacon Condiment Bar, souvenir stadium cup, live music on (3) stages, retail & food vendors. Ability to purchase a variety of beverage & food options. 

Bourbon Tasting Ticket -  Get everything listed above plus a bourbon tasting glass and (10) half-oz. bourbon tastings.

Fest Experience Ticket - Get everything listed above, but does not include any tastings. 

EARLY ENTRY AT 11 AM - 5 PM thru VIP Gate:
  • Early Bird Indiv Tix
  • Season Ticket Trio Bundle

NOON ENTRY - 5 PM:
  • General Admit Ticket, including tickets that come with Non-Sponsor Tables. 
​All festivals are 21 & Up only. No infants/pets. 

​TICKET RELEASE DATES: 
Update 10/2/26: TOTALLY SOLD OUT
Although we have increased the number of bourbon tickets available, there still is a limit to how many we will sell. 

EARLY BIRD RELEASE:
July 15, 2026,  9:00 AM
For INDIVIDUAL EARLY BIRDS for all festivals &
SEASON TRIO BUNDLES
*******
GENERAL ADMIT TIX RELEASES: 

1st Release: 
Wed, July 29th, 7 AM - 7PM
​(or until allotment sold out)

2nd Release: 
Thur, July 30th , 7 PM 
(until sold out) 
Presented by: 
PARTY CHALETS & SPONSORSHIPS: 
For info about private party chalets, sponsor tables or small biz sponsorships, click button below. 
Check out this short video and see what all the excitement is about! 
​
​For more videos, visit PartyWithPurposes.com.
We anticipated about $80,000 in proceeds from this festival will benefit over (50) organizations that support our community! 
2026 Bacon Fest - Benefiting Grant Recipients: 
  • $10,000 – Riverside Foundation – Riverside Smithfield Hospital Make a Difference Fund​​
  • $10,000 – Western Tidewater Free Clinic
Thanks to our Community Enrichment Sponsor: 

2026 Smithfield VA Bacon & Bourbon Music Fest
​October 3, 2026
(Sold out as of 10/2/26)

FAQ's & Info: 
for Bacon & Bourbon Fest
Ticket info - types, prices, release dates
ALL TYPES OF TICKETS GET: 
• Festival admission for 21 & Up Only. No infants/pets
• 1/2 lb. of Smithfield bacon
• A trip thru the Bacon Condiment Bar
• Enjoy live entertainment on three stages
• Souvenir Stadium Cup
• Ability to purchase all beverage/food/retail options
• Alcoholic and Non-Alcoholic options available 

Fest Experience Ticket gets: 
• All the above -  no tastings or tasting glass are included

Bourbon Tasting Ticket gets:
• All of the above plus
• (10) half-oz. bourbon tastings
• A bourbon tasting glass

Early Bird Individual Tickets:
Go on sale July 15th at 9 AM on-line
  • Buy early and secure your tix before it sells out.
  • Early entry at 11 am thru VIP Gate - Get a jump start on those bourbon tastings or finding a shady spot to sit. 
  • Can bring in outside food/water/sodas (but no alcohol).
  • VIP Parking pass is NOT included.
  • $40 tax-deduction to Smithfield VA Events (*deductible amount is what is paid over normal tix price).
  • Available for a single fest or .there is a Season Trio Bundle of Early Bird Tix and get one for each of our festivals. 
  • Included  in your ticket package is a BOGO Bourbon Basket Raffle ticket for TWO CHANCES for the price of one to enter to win the basket at the festival. 
$125 - Early Bird Bourbon Tasting Ticket 
$90 - Early Bird Fest Experience Ticket (no tastings) 

General Admit Tix & Non-Sponsor Tables 
Go on Sale at Two Release Dates: 
1st: July 29th 7 AM- 7 PM (or until allotment sold out)
2nd: July 30th 7 PM (until sold out) 
  • Noon entry thru Main Gate
  • No outside food/drinks permitted
$50 - General Admit Fest Experience Ticket (no tastings)
$85 - General Admit Bourbon Tasting Ticket 

$480 - $760 Non-Sponsor Table.  
Table price depends on which ticket package you select. Location preference is taken, but not guaranteed. Sponsor tables have first choice on location. If you don't get your choice we will contact you within a few days of your table purchase. There is a limit on # of tables at each stage. 

Tables include: table, linen, (8) chairs and weather permitting an umbrella.

Stage Location choices are:
Amphitheater, Castle Green or Manor House Stages 

Non-Sponsor Table Ticket Package Options: 
  • $480 - (8) Fest Tix (no tastings) 
  • $550 - (6) Fest Tix and (2) Bourbon Tix
  • $620 - (4) Fest Tix  & (4) Bourbon Tix 
  • $690 - (2) Fest Tix &  (6) Bourbon Tix 
  • $760 - (8) Bourbon Tix

There is not a DD Tix to this event, so if you would like to attend but you don't drink alcohol purchase the Fest Experience Ticket. It does not include any alcoholic beverages or tastings. We offer an expanded Non-Alcoholic Booth located in the Castle Green Village with a variety of options. 

FAQ's about changes for 2026
​WHAT IS CHANGING? 
  • To make room for MORE bourbon tasting stations, we made replaced the brew tasting booths with additional bourbon tasting locations which also allowed for expanded cocktail and more non-alcoholic beverage offerings.
  • Check out the (5) New Bourbon Booths in the new Castle Green Village, (formally called the Brew Village). The area between the red barns is now called Red Barn Road Village and has bourbon stations just like before. 
  • See new site map by clicking here. 
  • While brew tastings are no longer included with admission, guests will still find plenty of brews & other beverage options to purchase.
  • In the back of Castle Green Village there is "100 Feet of Beverages" with both alcoholic and non-alcoholic options. 
  • Alcoholic options include: VA Craft & domestic brews, wine, old fashioned cocktail, a variety of margaritas and canned cocktails. 
  • Our expanded Non-Alcoholic booth has a variety of non-alcoholic beers, canned mocktails, sodas, and water available for purchase.
FAQ'S ABOUT TICKET CHANGES: 
Can I still buy beer at the festival?
Absolutely! Beer will be available for purchase throughout the festival.

Are beer tastings included with any ticket?
No. To accommodate more bourbon tasting stations, beer tastings are no longer included with admission.

Can Fest Experience Ticket holders purchase alcoholic beverages?
Yes. Fest Experience Ticket holders may purchase beer, wine, cocktails, canned beverages, and other beverages including non-alcoholic options throughout the festival.

What's included with the Bourbon Tasting Ticket?
The Bourbon Tasting Ticket includes everything in the Fest Experience Ticket, plus ten (10) half-ounce bourbon tastings and a bourbon tasting glass.

Why was this change made?
Bourbon Tasting Tickets have consistently sold out, while demand for additional bourbon tasting opportunities continues to grow. Expanding the bourbon tasting experience allows more guests to enjoy one of the festival's signature attractions.

How does the 2026 Fest Experience Ticket compare to former “Non-Bourbon Ticket”?
The 2026 Fest Experience Ticket is $10 less than last year's Non-Bourbon Ticket. While beer tastings are no longer included, guests still enjoy everything else that was included previously and can still purchase any beverage of their choice, including alcoholic and non-alcoholic options. 
HOW DO BOURBON TASTINGS WORK?
If you purchased the Bourbon Ticket, you will get a special wristband with (10)  tabs on it when you enter the gate. You also get a pretty cool souvenir tasting glass.  You redeem your tabs at the Bourbon Tasting Stations located in both the Red Barn Road and Castle Green Villages. 

There are over (100) bourbons to choose from and you can click here to view what is at each station. Some bourbons will run out before others. We have QR codes up at the event you can scan to see bourbon list or you can pick up a printed copy from the Bourbon Ice Booths. 

Located in-front of the Bourbon Stations, is the Bourbon Info Tent and Bourbon Ice Station.  There are some Bourbon Hosts on hand to assist you if you have questions.  You can also stop by the info tent and pick up a bourbon info card OR scan the QR code to pull it up on your phone. 

Bourbons are not chilled, but once you get a tastings in your glass, if you would like an ice cube to drop into it, go visit one of the Bourbon Ice Booths. One is located in the Red Barn Road Village in the middle of the bourbon stations OR in the Castle Green to the right of the Bourbon Stations on left end of the Beverage Tents.  

All pours are single 1/2 oz (there is a mark on your glass) and we do not offer a "double pour" tasting. If you want to get a second sample of a bourbon, you will have to go get back in line. 
Smithfield Bacon & Bacon Bar
Thanks to a yummy donation from Smithfield Foods, we cook & serve over a TON of their bacon at this festival.
Most other bacon events give you small, sometimes overly creative, tiny snippets of bacon. Then, if you want to eat MORE BACON, you have to buy it. Not like that in Smithfield, VA - that is not how our bacon works.

​We were bacon before bacon was cool. 

Everyone who enters the gate will get a two part "Bacon Ticket" that entitles them to a half pound of Smithfield Bacon (pre-cooked weight).  Turn in one part of your Bacon Ticket to get the bacon, and the other part for your trip thru the Bacon Condiment Bar. 

Once you get your bacon, you can eat it hot off the grill, or you can take it over to the Bacon Condiment Bar and dress it up anyway you please from a selection of various condiments. Stuff for BLT wraps, or Nacho cheese it up, add in a pancake & syrup, or shake or dip it in various seasoning or dips, including chocolate! 
 
Please be patient with our volunteers who are cooking the bacon. Preparing over a TON, (seriously we are not kidding, we cook over a legit TON of it for this event) does  take some time. We promise we will NOT RUN OUT OF BACON, we have enough for everyone to get their 1/2 lb but there may be times it may take a few minutes to keep up with the crowd. 
where is everything located? 
With the changes to add in more bourbon our site map has some new names for our areas & locations for some of the fest attractions. There are site maps on the fest grounds, but here is general breakdown on what is located in each of our "Villages". We no longer have a ATM on site but all booths do accept cash or credit cards. 

Red Barn Road Village: (previously Bourbon Village) 
Sponsored by Hallwood Properties
This is the area to the right of the Manor House between the red barns.  
  • Bourbon Stations #1-8
  • Bourbon Ice/Info
  • Get Your Smithfield Bacon
  • Bacon Condiments
  • Buy Event Swag
  • Raffle Tix for Bourbon Basket
  • Water/Soda booths
  • Chalets #1-5
  • Purple Pig Mascot (great for photos)
  • Restroom Trailers

Castle Green Village: (previously Brew Village)
Sponsored by TowneBank & TowneBank Mortgage
The large field behind the Manor House & Barns, closest to Smithfield Station. 
  • ​Bourbon Stations #9-13 (New Location!!)
  • Bourbon Ice/Info
  • Drink Tickets & Growlers
  • ​Wine, Cocktails, Brews, Fill Growlers
  • Non-Alcoholic Beverages
  • Buy Cool Event Swag
  • Raffle Tickets for Bourbon Basket
  • Castle Green Stage & Reserved Tables
  • Chalets #14-33
  • Q-Daddy's Pitmaster BBQ
  • Restroom Trailer & Port-A-Potties

Manor House Village: 
Sponsored by Gatling Pointe Yacht Club
Inside the white fencing surrounding the historic Manor House. 
  • Manor House Stage & Reserved Tables
  • Chalets #34-38
  • Sponsor Check-In Booth
  • Cigar Booth
  • Cigar/Smoking Section

Amphitheater Village:
As the site slopes down to the creek this is the lower area all the way up the hill to the top of the bluff. 
  • Amphitheater Stage & Reserved Tables
  • Smithfield Food's Corporate Area
  • Chalets #6-13, plus Mini Chalets A,B,C
  • Hillside walkway
  • Restrooms by Stage
Beverage & Food Options
Other than bourbon tastings for those with a bourbon tasting tickets, all other food & drinks are for purchase only.

​The Beer/Growler Fill Booth takes drink tickets only (which you purchase at the Drink Tix Booth). Redeem your drink tix at the Beer Booth. 

All other booths take cash or credit cards and some of the beverage booths you can use the drink tix at also.  

BEVERAGE OPTIONS: Alcoholic and Non-Alcoholic available. Please note that no alcohol can enter or leave the site including growlers and wine bottles at the festival. 

There is a bottled water & soda booth in the Red Barn Road Village. 

All other beverage booths are located in the back of the Castle Green Village: 
  • Beer & Fill Growler Booth: VA Craft Brews, Mich Ultra, Bud Light
  • Wines - by the glass or bottle
  • Cocktail Booth - old fashioned, a variety of margaritas, canned cocktails.
  • Non-Alcoholic Booth - water, soda, canned mocktails and non-alcoholic beer options. 

FOOD: You get your bacon & go thru the Bacon Condiment Tent in the Red Barn Road Village. 

Located just as you enter the Castle Green Village our food vendor, Q-Daddy's Pitmaster BBQ offering a variety of food options. 

Chalets & Sponsor Tables: Have option to pre-order catering from Smithfield Station or to bring in their own DIY food. 
Early Bird Indiv Ticket Attendees: Can bring in outside food & bottled water.
General Admit Tickets Attendees: May not bring in outside food/drinks. 
BAND SCHEDULE 
Amphitheater Stage: (Bottom of Hill)
11:00 - 1:30
Sweet Remedy

2:30 - 5:00
Island Boy

Castle Green Stage:
11:00 - 1:30
Danny Lubertazzi & Friends

2:30-5:00 
Patrick Ryan Band

Manor House Lawn Stage:
11:00 - 1:30 
Jim Masters

2:30 - 5:00 
Karl Werne w/ Jeff Saunders 
Cigars & smoking areas
Cigar or Smoking IS NOT permitted inside any tent or chalet yard or any where else in the festival except for designated smoking areas. 
We hope to have a cigar vendor this year, and if we do it will located to the right of the Manor House. You can enjoy smoking cigars in the Cigar & Smoking Courtyard behind the Manor House. 

Smoking Sections Locations: Please use the Cigar Smoking Courtyard behind the Manor House or the designated smoking sections that are marked and located near the restroom areas.
RETAIL VENDORS 
As you stroll around the festival, check out our upscale, unique, hand-crafted retail vendors.

MANOR HOUSE LAWN
Cigars Vendor & Cigar Smoking Courtyard

RED BARN ROAD  VILLAGE:
Cool Event Swag & Raffle Tickets
Various other Retail Vendors Booth 

CASTLE GREEN VILLAGE: 
Cool Event Swag & Raffle Tickets
Do's & Don'ts & POLICIES
DO THESE THINGS:  
  • Bring lawn chairs/blankets for seating.
  • Bring a hand-held umbrella (for rain or sun). 
  • Wear comfortable shoes.  Event is held on grass fields. Can be muddy if rains. 
  • Bring an ID to the Gate. 21 & Up only event. 
  • Cash & Credit cards accepted. NO ATM ON SITE.  
  • Make a post-fest safe ride transportation plan. 
  • Bring sunscreen/bug spray. 
  • If you own an SVAEvents growler purchased at one of our other events, you are welcome to bring it (EMPTY) and use it at this event for brew. 

DON'T DO THESE THINGS:
  • Bring infants, pets or children.
  • No weapons.
  • No pop up tents, canopies or large "beach umbrellas". 
  • No alcohol can enter or exit this event.
  • For General Admit Tix & Non-Sponsor Tables entering via Main Gate - No outside food/drink permitted. Note: For tickets that get in early at 11 am (Chalets, Early Sponsor Tix or Early Bird Indiv Tix) you can bring in food via VIP Gates. 
  • No Smoking, including cigars in or near any tent or in the general festival grounds. There is a designated courtyard behind the manor house or near restrooms.

Lost & Found:
  • If you FIND something please turn it in at one of the Merchandise Booth so we can try and find the owner. 
  • If you LOST something report it at one of our Merchandise Booths or ask someone with a radio. ​
DIRECTIONS/PARKING 
GPS address for Windsor Castle Park:
705 Cedar Street, Smithfield VA

If you are coming via a Safe Ride - Uber, Lyft, DD Driver, Limo/Party Bus or staying at a local hotel that we offer free shuttle service to, please see other FAQ for instructions. 
 
If coming via South Church Street (passing Smithfield Station Hotel/Restaurant/Marina):  
After passing Smithfield Station, DO NOT FOLLOW your GPS, it will tell you to turn on Jericho Road (between the pink & green historic Victorian homes) DO NOT TURN THERE. Instead, go one more block and turn on CEDAR STREET. Stay on Cedar St. and go thru (2) stop signs, keep going and it will make a 90-degree turn into Windsor Castle Park.  Our parking crew will then direct you. 
 
If coming via RT.10/258 by-pass:  
Turn at the light on MAIN STREET, then turn right on UNDERWOOD (1st right after car wash).  At the stop sign turn right on CEDAR STREET and follow signs to Windsor Castle Park. 

AFTER THE EVENT EXIT INFO: 
All exiting traffic, both VIP Parking and General Admit parking, will be directed to exit using CEDAR STREET.  You will not be able to exit out Old Jericho Rd. to South Church Street.

PARKING: 
Once you get to the site, our Parking Team will direct you.
Look at the front of your tickets to see which lot to park in.

Chalet Ticket holders: You must actually have a VIP PARKING PASS to park in VIP Parking. If your chalet owner did not give you one you will be directed to general parking. PLEASE HOLD OUT PASS OUT DRIVER'S WINDOW TO SHOW ATTENDANT. Then put pass in your front windshield. 

Handicap parking is also available.
Golf Cart Rides to the gate areas are available.

DECIDE YOU NEED TO CALL A RIDE AND LEAVE YOUR CAR?
We want you to get home safe, so if you decide after the event to have someone pick you up, you can leave your car and come get it on Sunday. SVAEvents  & The Town of Smithfield are not responsible of any damage/theft to your vehicle, but it will not be towed.  Please pick up on Sunday. No overnight camping permitted.
SAFE Rides - dd, uber, hotel shuttles, private limo/party buses
We highly encourage you to have a safe post-fest transportation plan. So whether you book a hotel room and use our free shuttle, hire an Uber/Lyft, rent a private Limo/Party Bus or have a DD drive you there are a few things you need to know. 

HOTEL SHUTTLE:
If you are staying at the Hampton Inn & Suite, Smithfield Inn or Smithfield Station and would like a shuttle ride, please let the front desk know, and they will call our shuttle vans.  We have two vans, one says "Cozzy Comedy Club" and one says "I-RIDE". They use our Shuttle Stop Area across from the Gates for drop-off and pick-up. 

DD, UBER/LYFT RIDES:  
Drop-off instructions: 
Turn on flashers & tell parking attendants that you are being dropped off. You will get a special pass for your window that lets the attendants to wave you on thru until you get to our designated drop-off area (just past the manor house).  Pull over and unload passengers. Driver will be directed by parking crew to then exit out Old Jericho Road to S. Church Street.

Pick-up instructions:  
Tell your driver to come to the site via Cedar Street and then they will directed to park in our SAFE RIDE PICK UP LOT located in General Parking. Attendees exiting the event that are being picked up will need to head to General Parking and look for the high sign that say SAFE RIDE LOT. 

PARTY BUSES/LIMOS: 
Drop-off for Party Bus/Limos: 
Groups who rent a party bus or limo will be directed to our Shuttle Stop to unload passengers. 
  • If they are not staying during the fest, they will leave via Cedar Street.  
  • If they are staying on site during the event and will be parking the Party Bus/Limo, they will be directed where to park in the Cell Phone lot in General Parking by our parking staff.  
Pick Up for Party Bus/Limo drivers:
​They can pull back into the Shuttle Stop to pick up passengers OR you can just meet your Party Bus/Limo where ever they are parked. They may not pull into the Gate Area to pick you up.  All event traffic will exit via Cedar Street. ​
Picture
Click on map to enlarge.
Presented by:
Community Enrichment Sponsor:
Entertainment Sponsor: