Gulf Coast beer, bacon & Beyond 2026


A NEW 2-DAY EXPERIENCE! FORMERLY THE GULF COAST BEER & BACON FESTIVAL.

March 13–14, 2026

the beautiful Long Beach Town Green

101-199 E 3rd St, Long Beach, MS

This isn't just a festival, it's an event wrapped in Bacon along with BBQ & Burger, and all types of food tastings along with Beer, Cocktails, Chocolate & so much more!! 

🍺event schedule

Friday Night (21+)

7:00–10:00 PM (6PM VIP)

BBQ, bourbon, and beer with STARZ Band Live, tearing it up on the Island View Casino sponsored stage.


But here's the twist - we're bringing the heat with a 1st Responders Chili Cook-Off.


Local heroes compete for $250 and the title. You get to vote. VIP gets you in early with a special seating area and exclusive tastings. Plus, there's a silent auction because why not make the night even better?


This is how Friday night is supposed to feel.

Saturday Night (21+)

7:00–10:00 PM (6PM VIP)

Beer, bacon, and burgers with GHOSTS OF GAMBLERS bringing down the house on the Island View Casino stage. Vendors everywhere. Silent auction is still going. VIP treatment with early entry, primo seating, and special tastings.


And hey - Saturday morning there's a family Touch-A-Truck event with the Long Beach Chamber if you want to bring the kids before the night gets wild. But when the sun goes down? It's all about the music, the food, and the energy.


Saturday just became your new favorite night of the week.

More Beer. More Bacon. more BBQ.
Two Full Days of Sizzling Fun.

Expect a Bacon, BBQ, Burger & food lover's dream lineup of food tastings, craft beer tastings from local and regional breweries, along with Mississippi Distilleries & so much more!  Along with giving out 3 Golden Tickets this year, there will be People's Choice Awards, live music Friday & Saturday nights on the Island View Casino Stage at 7 pm, arts & crafts vendors plus VIP experiences you'll talk about for months. This is a great marketing event, and the main Fundraiser for Mississippi Heroes, so your support goes a long way to the mission of supporting family, professional, and community caregivers across Mississippi while building wheelchair ramps for those in need.  Our goal is to finish 2025 strong with the help of your early ticket purchase (2 ramps per week) 

Don't just taste and watch - jump into the fun! From cooking competitions to the Chili Cookoff Showdown, there's a way for everyone to compete, win prizes, and be part of the festival excitement.

Get In On The Action!

GOLDEN TICKET OPPORTUNITIES

We will have Bacon, Barbecue, & Burger Golden Tickets.  We will also have People's Choice with trophies for all who are part of this fundraiser.  The Golden Ticket winners  receive entry to compete in the World Food Championships - it is our commitment to our Gulf Coast Chef's and Restaurants.  Trophies will be hand-made by Steve Barney with a grant from the Mississippi Arts Commission. 

PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARDS

Festival attendees vote for their favorites across multiple categories - Best Brew, Best Home Brew, Best Bacon, BBQ & Burger creations, best booth, crowd favorite, and more.

CHILI COOK-OFF FRIDAY NIGHT  (New for 2026!)

Join the Chili Cookoff right along our local 1st Responders.  In 2026 we will start a First Responders Grant Program, funds will go into the 1st Responders Grant Program to help offset financial needs.  There will be a $250 prize to the winning chili.  1st Responders vs the community - a way to build community.  All 1st responders are invited to make a team and compete:   emergency services, firefighters, police, EMTs - compete for bragging rights and prizes.  OF NOTE:  This will be an outside event with limited electricity.  Bring your own setup, tent & supplies (but let us know if you need help and we will take care of it for you).

BACON, BBQ, Burger, BEER, chocolate & COCKTAIL COMPETITIONS
(Restaurants AND OTHER VENDORS)

Professional and amateur divisions for the best drinks & food creations on the Gulf Coast with People's Choice Awards and opportunity to walk away with a Golden Ticket to the World Food Championships in Indianapolis with opportunity to win Grand Prize of over $100,000.

Not Just a Festival—A Mission

Every sip and every bite goes toward building wheelchair ramps, celebrating unsung caregiving heroes, and keeping our Gulf Coast community lifted.  We are also starting a 1st Responders Grant Program that we will be kicking off in 2026.

Beer & Bacon Fest is the largest fundraiser for Mississippi Heroes, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting family caregivers across Mississippi. In 2025, we raised $45,000 with this event and built 50+ ramps. This year, we're aiming even bigger.

Stay Where the Party Happens

Important Details:


TITLE SPONSORS

These incredible businesses make Beer & Bacon Fest possible while supporting caregivers across Mississippi.

Want your business here?