One of Abbeville’s annual festivals, Hogs & Hens BBQ Festival, is taking place October 20 & 21, 2023 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 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 annual Hogs & Hens BBQ festival.
Now, let’s chat about the festival before Hallmark’s calling for the movie rights.
If you’re heading to Abbeville, SC for the festival, be sure to check out the town as well.
We have a full post on Things To Do When It Rains In Abbeville, SC. They’re all indoor activities (because of the rain angle), but they would also be fun things to do even when it’s sunny.
And, 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 Festival: Frequently Asked Questions
Hogs & Hens Festival is happening October 14 and 15, 2022. The festival will be 5 pm to 9 pm on Friday and 10 am to 9 pm on Saturday.
It’s always the third weekend of October, so if you can’t make it this time, you can mark it on your schedule for next year.
On Friday, Mac Arnold is playing from 6 pm to 8 pm.
On Saturday, Trevor Hewitt is performing from 4 pm to 5:30 pm and Swingin’ Medallions takes the stage from 6 pm to 8 pm.
The festival takes place in Court Square in beautiful downtown Abbeville, mostly.
Food vendors will be set up in Court Square (mostly the grass area), except the competition teams. 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.
An info tent will be set up in front of the Abbeville Opera House.
You can see the full festival map here.
Hogs & Hens Festival: Everything You Need To Know
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Where is Abbeville?
Abbeville is in Abbeville County in Western South Carolina located near the Georgia border.
It’s found in the Old 96 District in South Carolina, which consists of Abbeville, Edgefield, Greenwood, Laurens, and McCormick Counties.
What is the main attraction of the Hogs & Hens Festival?
The great BBQ and other food is definitely the main attraction of the Hogs & Hens Festival. Honestly, food at street vendors is the highlight of any festival.
The 2023 festival will feature 18 food vendors in Court Square, including local favorite Smokin’ The City BBQ, (which we actually got to try at the SC Festival of Discovery), French Twist Baking, and more.
There’s also live music too.
Last year, the schedule of events was a little more full with additional live entertainment on the main stage, a blood drive, and a wine event on Saturday evening. It seems those events have been canceled for 2023.
Hogs & Hens Festival 2023 Full Schedule
Friday, October 20
Mac Arnold: 6 pm to 8 pm
Southern BBQ Network Judge’s Training Class: 6 pm
Saturday, October 21
Kids Zone: 9 am to noon
Trevor Hewitt: 4 pm to 5:30 pm
Swingin’ Medallions: 6 pm to 8 pm
Where To Stay In Abbeville, SC:
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 Manon (a B&B/event venue with three rooms).
The Lofts On Court Square are a really fantastic option for Hogs & Hens. That’s because the Airbnb is located right on the square in historic Abbeville, where the festival is being held. All you need to do is walk downstairs from your loft to be amongst the food trucks and vendors.
We stayed here during the South Carolina Festival of Flowers in 2023 and had such a lovely time. The one bedroom loft apartment had a full kitchen (which we used to make our Peach Hand Pies using local peaches) with a fridge (perfect if you’re bringing any leftover barbecue back from the festival), a cute living room, and an in-apartment washer and dryer.
It’s also walking distance to many of the other great places to eat in Abbeville, which is great if you’re making a full weekend of your visit and need somewhere to eat on Sunday, after the festival is over.
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, check out nearby Greenwood, SC.
Our 24 Hours In Greenwood, South Carolina post will give you an overview of the town. Don’t forget to check out Lake Greenwood State Park when you’re in the area too.
Have you been to the Abbeville Hogs & Hens BBQ Festival before? Let us know in the comments.