One of Abbeville’s annual festivals, Hogs & Hens BBQ Festival, is taking place October 16 and 17, 2026 in Abbeville, SC.
For more help planning your trip, check out all of our posts about Abbeville.
Abbeville is the quintessential small town in America. Think Gilmore Girls. I mean, there’s even a small quaint square in the center of town.
It’s the classic town you see as the backdrop of a Hallmark movie where some big city lawyer is in town and can only get a reservation at the town’s haunted hotel. She checks in and bumps heads with the hotel’s innkeeper who was born and raised in the town.
The hotel loses power, she gets scared and haunted by the hotel’s ghost, and finds solace in the innkeeper. They bond, fall in love, kiss as the snow falls, and end up having three Hallmark sequels including one named Hogs & Hens after one of the town’s annual festivals.
You think I’m waxing poetic, but aside from the big city lawyer, these are all real things. Abbeville is a classic, made-for-movie town. It has a haunted hotel with a bar, the hotel did lose power when we were there, there is a ghost named Abraham who haunts the hotel, and Abbeville is home to the Hogs & Hens festival, which happens annually on the third weekend of October.
Now, let’s chat about the festival before Hallmark’s calling for the movie rights.
If you’re in town and like ghosts, be sure to check our A Comprehensive Guide To Haunted Places In Abbeville, SC. There are a lot of spirits around town.
Hogs & Hens BBQ Festival 2026: Dates & Details
- Dates and times: October 16 and 17. The festival will be 5 pm to 8 pm on Friday and 9 am to 8 pm on Saturday.
- Location: Food vendors will be set up in Court Square (mostly the grass area). Craft vendors will be set up on Court Square (the street) and along Trinity Street (up to and in front of Livery Stable). The main stage will be blocking South Main Street. You can see the full festival map here.
- Cost: The festival is free to attend, but food and novelty items are available for purchase.
Hogs & Hens BBQ Festival 2026 Full Schedule
Friday, October 16
Food and Craft Vendors: Vendors will be set up from 5 pm to 8 pm.
Swingin’ Medallions: Live on the main stage from 6 pm to 8 pm.
Saturday, October 17
Food and Craft Vendors: Vendors will be set up from 10 am to 8 pm.
Gospel Celebration: The celebration will be on the main stage from 1 pm to 2 pm.
Kids Zone: Games for kids will be set up from 9 am to noon in Court Square.
Pickens Creek Band: Live on the main stage from 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm.
The Mighty Kicks: Live on the main stage from 6 pm to 8 pm.
Hogs & Hens Square Dollars
There’s a new Hogs & Hens Square Dollars program for the 2026 festival.
Take a photo (selfies included) at this year’s festival and post it on your public Instagram or Facebook page with the hashtags #HogsAndHensAbbeville and #sponsored.
The first 100 eligible participants will get a $10 gift certificate to use at participating businesses on Court Square. The gift cards must be redeemed during the festival dates (October 16 and 17).
Planning Your Visit To The Hogs & Hens BBQ Festival
Transportation / Parking
Abbeville is a really small, walkable town. There are free, on-street parking options downtown where you can park and easily walk around the festival.
Since it’s a smaller town, rideshare options aren’t plentiful and not something you should rely on.
Weather Tips / What To Wear
Wear sneakers because you’ll be walking around. You might want to wear layers and pants because once the sun goes down, it does get a little chilly. Sure, it’s the south, but it does still get cold in the south.
Take a look at the weather for the day because you might also need to bring an umbrella. We were in town once when it just rained all day. That doesn’t have to ruin your trip, though. We have a list of things to do when it rains in Abbeville, SC with indoor activities.
What To Bring
Bring your ID if you’re 21+ and you want to buy a wristband at the festival tent so you can drink alcohol within the festival area. You can’t bring your own alcohol in, but you can buy beer and wine from licensed downtown businesses to enjoy responsibly during the festival.
How Long To Plan For The Festival
The festival area isn’t that large, so you can probably see all the vendors in 60 to 90 minutes. But, if you’re going to stay and watch the bands, each one has a two hour set, so you’ll be there for a while.
Where To Stay For The Hogs & Hens BBQ Festival:
If you’re going to Abbeville, there are only a couple hotel options in town.
There’s The Belmont Inn by OYO (that’s a haunted hotel, so just be warned; you can read our full The Belmont Inn review before you book), the Westbrook Motel, and Sharon Manor (a B&B and event venue).
If you want to travel to the next town over, Greenwood, the Inn On The Square is an amazing hotel that we stayed in during another local festival a few years ago.
Other Things To Do In The Area:
If you’re heading to Abbeville for the weekend, and you want some things to do either in the evening or on Sunday before you head home, there are two cute towns nearby (also in the Old 96 district) that you should check out.
There’s Edgefield, which was home to ten of the state’s governors and “Home of the Best Burgers in the South” according to the Edgefield Pool Hall.
And there’s also the neighboring Greenwood, which is where Lake Greenwood State Park is.
More South Carolina Festivals:
Greenwood hosts the South Carolina Festival Of Flowers in June, which features over 40 beautifully manicured topiaries throughout town. It’s also home to the South Carolina Festival Of Discovery, a huge barbecue festival, in July.
And, not too far away in Sumter, SC, there’s the Iris Festival, which is the oldest festival in South Carolina. That’s held annually in May.
Have you been to the Abbeville Hogs & Hens BBQ Festival before? Let us know in the comments.