HOLY SMOKE BBQ

Food, Fellowship, Fun...and Football!

Four smiling Christ UMC members stand ready to serve dinner during our annual Holy Smoke BBQ in Franklin, TN.

THIS YEAR'S BBQ DATE & TIME:

OCTOBER 3, 2026

4:00pm–7:00pm; Dinner served at 5

This annual outdoor fall gathering, begun in 2019, brings together our congregation to tailgate, Christ UMC style, in our spacious back field and pavilion with live football on a movie screen. The event includes award-winning BBQ prepared by Page Thompson, of The Charcoal Cowboys, who competed on Food Network's BBQ Pitmasters. Holy Smoke also includes live music, activities, and bouncy house obstacle courses for the kids. We've even had baking contests and a pie eating contest in past years!

To make this free rain-or-shine event a success, we seek volunteers to help in the kitchen, to serve dinner, and to perform various other duties. We also need bakers willing to share their tasty desserts. And we always welcome new faces who'd like to be part of our planning team.

 

Volunteer signup links will be active as we get closer to this year's event. Please stay tuned. If you have any questions, feel free to email us by clicking the button below.

LOCATION

Pavilion and field
behind the church.

OTHER DETAILS

Rain or shine. Free event.

No registration required.

 

Eight men shred pork BBQ for Christ UMC's annual Holy Smoke BBQ in Franklin, TN.
A winner of the Holy Smoke BBQ Pie Eating Contest celebrates his win with an empty pie plate and his pig trophy in Franklin, TN.
Winners of the Holy Smoke BBQ baking contest pose with their trophies at Christ UMC in Franklin, TN..
Two large inflatable obstacle courses on the field for Holy Smokes BBQ.
Two musicians perform under a tent for guests at Holy Smoke BBQ at Christ UMC in Franklin, TN.
Two musicians perform under a tent for guests at Holy Smokes BBQ.

THIS YEAR'S BBQ DATE & TIME:

OCTOBER 3, 2026

4:00–7:00pm; Dinner served at 5

This annual outdoor fall gathering, begun in 2019, brings together our congregation to tailgate, Christ UMC style, in our spacious back field and pavilion with live football on a movie screen. The event includes award-winning BBQ prepared by Page Thompson, of The Charcoal Cowboys, who competed on Food Network's BBQ Pitmasters. Holy Smoke also includes live music, activities, and bouncy house obstacle courses for the kids. We've even had baking contests and a pie eating contest in past years!

To make this free rain-or-shine event a success, we seek volunteers to help in the kitchen, to serve dinner, and to perform various other duties. We also need bakers willing to share their tasty desserts. And we always welcome new faces who'd like to be part of our planning team.

 

Volunteer signup links will be active as we get closer to this year's event. Please stay tuned. If you have any questions, feel free to email us by clicking the button below.

LOCATION

Pavilion and field
behind the church.

OTHER DETAILS

Rain or shine. Free event.

No registration required.

Eight men shred pork BBQ for Christ UMC's annual Holy Smoke BBQ in Franklin, TN..
A winner of the Holy Smoke BBQ Pie Eating Contest celebrates his win with an empty pie plate and his pig trophy in Franklin, TN.
Winners of the Holy Smoke BBQ baking contest pose with their trophies in Franklin, TN.
Two large inflatable obstacle courses on the field for Holy Smoke BBQ at Christ UMC in Franklin. TN.
Two musicians perform under a tent for guests at Holy Smoke BBQ at Christ UMC in Franklin, TN.

THIS YEAR'S BBQ DATE & TIME:

OCTOBER 3, 2026

4:00pm–7:00pm; Dinner served at 5

This annual outdoor fall gathering, begun in 2019, brings together our congregation to tailgate, Christ UMC style, in our spacious back field and pavilion with live football on a movie screen. The event includes award-winning BBQ prepared by Page Thompson, of The Charcoal Cowboys, who competed on Food Network's BBQ Pitmasters. Holy Smoke also includes live music, activities, and bouncy house obstacle courses for the kids. We've even had baking contests and a pie eating contest in past years!

To make this free rain-or-shine event a success, we seek volunteers to help in the kitchen, to serve dinner, and to perform various other duties. We also need bakers willing to share their tasty desserts. And we always welcome new faces who'd like to be part of our planning team.

 

Volunteer signup links will be active as we get closer to this year's event. Please stay tuned. If you have any questions, feel free to email us by clicking the button below.

LOCATION

Pavilion and field
behind the church.

 

OTHER DETAILS

Rain or shine. Free event.
No registration required.

Eight men shred pork BBQ for Christ UMC's annual Holy Smoke BBQ in Franklin, TN.
A winner of the Holy Smoke BBQ Pie Eating Contest celebrates his win with an empty pie plate and his pig trophy in Franklin, TN.
Two large inflatable obstacle courses on the field for Holy Smoke BBQ in Franklin, TN..
Winners of the Holy Smoke BBQ baking contest pose with their trophies at Christ UMC in Franklin, TN.
Two musicians perform under a tent for guests at Holy Smoke BBQ in Franklin, TN..
The master barbecuer smokes the meat for the next day's Holy Smoke BBQ at Christ UMC in Franklin, TN..
Twelve members of the BBQ planning team pose in front of the photo wall after Holy Smoke BBQ at Christ UMC in Franklin, TN.