Chase Matthew Headlines BBQ & Barrels in Owensboro, KY

Here's some exciting news, Darlin'. A quickly rising country music star is set to headline BBQ & Barrels 2026 in downtown Owensboro, Kentucky.

WHAT IS BBQ & BARRELS?

BBQ & Barrels, formerly known as the International Bar-B-Q Festival, is set to return on Friday, May 8th and Saturday, May 9th.

READ MORE: It’s BBQ, It’s Barrels, It’s Free Live Music—What Exactly Are We Complaining About Again, Owensboro?

For the third year in a row, the festival will feature a FREE country music concert on the front lawn of the Owensboro Convention Center. In 2024, country music star Chris Janson headlined. Last year, 90s country legend Clay Walker headlined with Drew Baldridge as his opening act.

CHASE MATTHEW AT BBQ & BARRELS

This year, Chase Matthew will take the stage.

Matthew recently scored his first #1 on the Billboard Country Airplay Chart with his massive hit "Darlin'."

And, he just released a brand new song- "Holdin' It Down"- that's already climbing the charts.

Owensboro-based country music station WBKR will again have VIP access in front of the stage. To gain access to that area, you will need to secure VIP lanyards, which we'll be giving away soon on-air and via the WBKR app.

Also, for the first time ever, the City of Owensboro is offering a limited number of Pit Passes for sale. They are just $25 a piece and are expected to sell out quickly. See the QR code below.

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Chase Matthew will take the stage on Saturday, May 9th to close out the festival. The night before, local favorite DJ Shay invites you to DJ Shay's Dance Party. Both shows are sponsored by Owensboro Racing & Gaming.

To stay up-to-date with more festival news, visit the website BBQandBarrels.com.