An epic BBQ festival is coming to Ontario's most beautiful village this month

One of Ontario's most scenic small towns is hosting a huge barbecue festival this month after record-breaking attendance in 2025.

There are so many reasons to visit Elora, especially in the summertime. First and foremost, the village is widely considered to be one of the — if not the — most beautiful in the entire province. Then, there's the matter of its impressive restaurant lineup.

But on July 28, one special event will blow all of Elora's other drawing factors out of the gorge. Back by popular demand, Elora's Longest BBQ will transform West Mill Street into a barbecue lover's dream with the help of over 20 local and out-of-town restaurants.

Local favourites like Bardo, Elora Brewing Company, Elora Distilling Company, Handsome Devil Bistro and Dar's Country Market will be joined by guests like Cowbell Brewing Co., Steam Whistle, Odd Duck, Ted Reader BBQ and, all the way from Vancouver Island, South Fire, to round out the epic celebration of all things charred, saucy and flame-kissed.

The festival saw a record-breaking attendance of over 12,000 in 2025, and is on a mission to do things even bigger, better and barbecue-ier for 2026, hence the expanded lineup of new restaurant and drink partners this year.

If you want to make a whole trip out of it, because there's nothing better than a summer road trip, you're in a good spot: after all that eating, you can unwind at the Elora Mill Spa, hike the Elora Gorge, swim at the Quarry, or explore even more of the town's immaculate eats.

There's nothing wrong with a little midweek adventure, especially when barbecue is involved.

The event takes place between 4 and 10 p.m. on Tuesday, July 28, is open to attendees of all ages, and is completely free to attend. For more invested visitors, tickets that include food and drink tokens are also available on the event's website.