2018 Jiggy with the Piggy Festival Is This Week > City of Kannapolis | City of Kannapolis

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(Two new events added – Pig Races & Chef Demos)

Jiggy with the Piggy 2018 returns with the smells and tastes of barbeque and fun for the entire family. Make plans now to join us next week, May 1-5 in downtown Kannapolis.


Once again we will host over 70 barbeque competition teams. The BBQ teams are from across the U.S. and will compete in these event, one of the largest sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbeque Society.

Our signature concert Friday night will be The New Familiars. Natives of North Carolina, The New Familiars have grown into an Americana Rock fixture in the southeast playing their own style of “American Rock & Roll” for years. Drawing from vast influences, they’ve shaped a sound that combines the nitty-gritty roots music of the Appalachia with the guitar-drenched-drum-driven anthems of Rock & Roll. Through collective songwriting, howling harmonies, & multi-instrumental talent, their show can take you from a back porch hoe-down to a full on rock show at the change of an instrument.

Making the road their home, their high energy shows have gained them notoriety not only in the press, but also among their peers. The band has been paired with legends like Levon Helm, Del McCoury, and Gregg Allman; as well as new school greats like The Infamous Stringdusters, Langhorne Slim, and Scythian.

Other bands performing during Jiggy include the Flash Back Party Band, Stepside Deluxe and the Bill Miller Band.

Join us Saturday afternoon for a new fun event, the Hogway Speedway Racing Pigs from Newton, N.C. Cute pigs will race in four heats during the afternoon as you cheer them on to victory.

The festival, sponsored by Smithfield, will have more than 100 arts & crafts vendors, concerts, a 5K walk/run, fireworks and a People’s Choice wings and pork tasting. This year the Kannapolis Firefighter’s Association will be back bringing their cooking skills to the festival and selling barbeque to the public. We have also added more barbeque and food vendors so you can fill up on many varieties of festival food.

We continue to have our events for children including the popular Zucchini 600. Children can build a racecar out of zucchini and race for prizes. Movies on Campus returns, sponsored by the 600 Festival, with Disney’s Cars 3.

As always this festival is free to the public. No pets please.

Tuesday, May 1

6:30 p.m. Jiggy with the Piggy 5K, part of the Run Kannapolis Series. (Dress in a piggy related costume to win prizes).

Thursday, May 3

1-5 p.m. BBQ Competition Teams Arrive
4-7 p.m. Kannapolis Farmers Market – Opening Day
Zucchini 600 Pre-build workshop @ the Farmers Market
(We provide the zucchini & veggies – get tips and help building your racecar).
Friday, May 4
8 a.m. - 5 p.m. BBQ Competition Teams Arrive
5 p.m. Festival Opens to the Public - North Carolina Research Campus Horseshoe
Food, Arts & Crafts, Carnival Rides, and More

6:30 p.m. – Cars 3 Movie
Location: Veterans Park
Bring a blanket/chair and enjoy this fun family movie.
Sponsored by 600 Festival Association

7-9 p.m. People's Choice - Wings (while tickets last)
Location: N.C. Research Campus – near the Core Lab, N. Research Drive (Look for the signs and the white tent). Festival attendees can purchase blocks of ten (10) wings for $10. Proceeds benefit the Cannon Memorial YMCA to help fund local youth scholarships and programs.
7 p.m. Flash Back Party Band - North Carolina Research Campus Horseshoe
8:30 p.m. The New Familiars - North Carolina Research Campus Horseshoe
9:45 p.m. Fireworks

Saturday, May 5
7 a.m. Kannapolis YMCA All You Can Eat Pancake Breakfast - Admission is $5.

9 a.m. Festival Opens to the Public – North Carolina Research Campus Horseshoe
Food, Arts & Crafts, Carnival Rides, and More

10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Kid's Zone Activities
10 a.m.- Zucchini 600 Pits Open – we provide the zucchini and veggies. You bring the creative talent.
12 pm - Zucchini 600 Races Start
Carnival Rides, Inflatables, GoPro Motorplex Kids Car Displays

11:30 a.m./1:15 p.m./2:45 p.m. and 4 p.m. – Demonstrations by chefs from Restaurant 46 and Gordon Food on how to prepare healthy sides that are delicious with barbeque.

Noon – 2 pm People's Choice - Pork Tasting (while supplies last)
Location: Research Campus - Core Lab, N. Research Drive (Look for the signs and the white tent)
Proceeds Benefit the Kannapolis Rotary Club.
Festival attendees can purchase blocks of ten (10) samples for $10.

Noon – 5 p.m. – Hogway Speedway Racing Pigs – cheer on your favorite pig as they race to victory.


Noon – 12:30 p.m. - Stepside Deluxe Concert
Noon - 1:30 p.m. - BBQ Competition Is Underway!
3-5 p.m. – Bill Miller Band Concert
5 p.m. - BBQ Competition Awards Ceremony - The Laureate Center, Kannapolis City Hall
5 p.m. - Festival Ends

For more information on the festival and all the great Jiggy fun -
visit jiggywiththepiggy.com.

For parking and street closure information, click here.