The National Turkey Federation is announcing the full lineup for the 2025 Turkey Smoke series, a barbecue competition celebrating the art of turkey barbecue across competitions from coast to coast. This year's series features an expanded lineup of events, inviting pitmasters and barbecue enthusiasts to showcase turkey's versatility on the grill and smoker.

“Turkey Smoke has become a staple of the competitive barbecue scene, and we’re excited to see it grow even bigger in 2025,” said Leslee Oden, president and CEO of the National Turkey Federation, organizer of Turkey Smoke. “From seasoned pitmasters to backyard enthusiasts, this series gives competitors the opportunity to showcase the versatility and incredible taste of turkey in some of the biggest barbecue events in the country.”

Turkey Smoke competitions will be featured at major competitions sanctioned by barbecue organizations nationwide. This year’s lineup includes stops at upcoming contests including:

• Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship – Lebanon, Tenn. – March 14
• BBQ Gives Back – Urbanna, Va. – March 21
• Smoke in the Spring – Osage City, Kan. – April 11
• Minnesota In May – St. Peter, Minn. – May 9
• Memphis In May – Memphis, Tenn. – May 15
• Horse Town Brew n Que Festival – Norco, Calif. – May 31
• Hoosier BBQ Classic – Franklin, Ind. – June 7
• Giant National BBQ Battle – Washington, D.C. – June 21
• Art of the Que – Spencer, Iowa – June 27
• King Turkey Day Smokin' Gobbler BBQ Cook-Off – Worthington, Minn. – July 11
• Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival – New Freedom, Pa. – July 26
• BBQ & Fly-In on the River – Excelsior Springs, Miss. – August 16
• 8th Annual DuPont BBQ Cookoff – DuPont, Wash. – August 17
• Smoke on the Water BBQ Championship – Pine Bluff, Ark. – Sept. 20
• Arlington BBQ Burnout – Arlington, Tenn. – Oct. 17
• Monroe Turkey Smoke – Monroe, N.C. – Oct. 18
• American Royal World Series of Barbecue – Kansas City, Mo. – Date TBD
• Atlanta BBQ Store Classic – Cumming, Ga. – Nov. 15
• BBQ Jackpot – Las Vegas, Nev. – Nov. 21
• Texas BBQ Blowout – Paris, Texas – Dec. 6

Since its inception, the Turkey Smoke Series has introduced thousands of pitmasters and barbecue fans to the possibilities of turkey on the smoker. Each event will feature a dedicated Turkey Smoke category where teams will bring their best smoked turkey creations to the judges, competing for prizes and a chance to be named Turkey Smoke champion.

This year marks a milestone for Turkey Smoke, as competitions were selected through the newly implemented Turkey Smoke Grant Program. Events were chosen through a competitive application process, considering factors such as event size, geographic diversity and commitment to promoting turkey barbecue. The grant program allows Turkey Smoke to reach new audiences and introduce more pitmasters, barbecue enthusiasts and consumers to the versatility and flavor of smoked turkey.

Source: National Turkey Federation