Tamworth gets its grill on with new 'Smoking September' barbecue festival

The first Tamworth Barbecue Festival is set to sizzle across the last weekend of September, from Friday 27 to Sunday 29, at the Riverside Sporting Complex on Carter Street.

Tamworth Regional Council (TRC) says the three-day extravaganza will provide American-style low and slow barbecue, market stalls, smoker demonstrations, the thunderous National Thunder Motorcycle Rally, and more than 20 hours of live music.

"This will be the home base for the motorcycle rally, which has previously been at the Australian Equine and Livestock Events Centre (AELEC). People will do their guided rides around the region and then come back to the barbecue to relax in the afternoons," TRC events officer Mel Millsteed said.

"There will also be some things you've seen at National Thunder before with the Thunder Games, some fun things over by our stage, and the show and shine."

Tickets to enter the festival will cost $25 for Friday, $35 for Saturday, and $15 for Sunday.

Three-day passes are available at $65 and children under 16 get in free all weekend.

"We're hoping we'll get at least 2000 people per day, maybe a bit more. We start from lunchtime on Friday and go through Sunday afternoon," Ms Millsteed said.

"It's been in the works for about 18 months. I've been slowly working on getting approvals from everyone and working with sponsors to get it moving."

Tamworth Regional Council event manager Barry Harley says thanks to the festival's sponsors, council will be able to deliver this festival without using ratepayer money.

"It will end up being cost-neutral to the council. We've got some fabulous sponsors on board, so we'll go into the event with it already paid for," Mr Harley said.

"Early indicators say there'll be a minimum of $1 million input directly into the economy, and the multiplier effect would run out to about $1.8 million."

The festival's central feature will be the Australian Barbecue Alliance competition on Saturday, September 28, where 40 cooks from around the country will battle it out for a share in $19,000 in cash and prizes.

Ms Millsteed told the Leader the festival was a great reason for people from across the region and around the world to come together for a grilling good time.

"It's got the appeal of bringing people to eat together, and the Australian Barbecue Alliance is part of a worldwide network. It's a lot bigger in America but there's also Japan and New Zealand coming on board so we could see some international teams here,"

Festival Sunday will be a special one for kids as the site hosts the Imaginate Children's Festival in support of regional children's charity Riseup Tamworth Incorporated.

Imaginate will be a special area for kids to meet their favourite costumed superheroes, grab a showbag, and get a up-close look at dinosaurs.

Depending on the event's success, the Tamworth Barbecue Festival could become an annual or semi-annual fixture on the local events calendar.

More information and pre-purchase tickets are available now on the festival's website.