One of Tampa’s biggest fall traditions is back — and it is celebrating a major milestone. The 15th Annual Tampa Pig Jig takes over Julian B. Lane Park on Saturday, October 17, 2026, for a full day of country music, barbecue and riverside fun, all for a great cause.
This year’s lineup is stacked: Thomas Rhett, Midland, Kameron Marlowe, Sister Hazel and Cassidy Daniels will take the stage, making it one of the strongest country lineups of the season in Florida. Add the waterfront setting on the Hillsborough River and you have a day Tampa will be talking about.
More than a music festival
What started in 2011 as a backyard barbecue among friends has grown into one of Tampa Bay’s signature charity events. The Tampa Pig Jig is an annual waterfront fundraiser supporting NephCure, the organization fighting rare kidney disease — and it has become NephCure’s largest annual donor nationwide, donating millions and helping launch nearly 60 clinical trials. Partying with a purpose has never sounded this good.
The festival is organized with the HopeWill Foundation, keeping the original spirit alive: friends, great barbecue and live music, all in support of families facing rare kidney disease. That heart is why Tampa keeps coming back, year after year, and why the Pig Jig has grown into a full-blown Tampa tradition.
Tickets and festival fun
- General Admission — $140 (all-in, taxes and fees included): all-day live music, the main lawn, Food Row, interactive sponsor activations, cashless bars, BBQ concessions and Pig Jig merch tents.
- Kids 10 and under are free with a ticketed adult — no ticket required, and they get the same access level.
- GA+ — $275: fast-pass entry lane, a GA+ viewing area with an up-close stage view, three beverages of your choice and a $10 merchandise credit.
- Corporate BBQ competition, Food Row and the Milestone Supply Lounge upgrade round out the day.
A perfect riverside setting
Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park is one of Tampa’s favorite outdoor venues: green lawns, skyline views and the Hillsborough River as a backdrop. The Pig Jig turns it into a full-day celebration with the corporate BBQ competition — local teams battling it out for brisket glory — plus Food Row, games and sponsor activations between sets. Bring a blanket, grab your koozie and your bib, and settle in for a day where the music, the food and the cause all deliver.
Happy City News recommends grabbing tickets in advance — the 15th anniversary edition is expected to draw one of the biggest crowds in Pig Jig history. Listed on the official Visit Tampa Bay fall events calendar, it is a must for country fans and food lovers alike. Buy tickets on the official Tampa Pig Jig website and do some good while you party: every ticket supports the fight against rare kidney disease.
