Ham & Yam Festival 2026

The Ham & Yam Festival welcomes a wide variety of vendors offering handmade arts and crafts, unique goods, boutique merchandise, artwork, photography, home décor, specialty items, and more. Whether your products are handcrafted or carefully curated, this category is designed for vendors who want to reach the more than 15,000 visitors who fill Downtown Smithfield for this beloved event. All items should be family-friendly, and everything displayed in your booth must be available for sale.

The Ham & Yam Festival spans more than six blocks of our historic downtown and features three stages of live music, a car show, kids and adult activity zones, delicious food, and a full day of family fun—making it one of the best opportunities of the year for vendors to connect with shoppers and showcase their products.

The Ham & Yam Festival welcomes a wide variety of commercial vendors, including businesses, organizations, services, product representatives, and promotional vendors looking to connect with the more than 15,000 visitors who fill Downtown Smithfield for this beloved event. Whether you’re showcasing merchandise, sharing information about your business, promoting services, or engaging with the community through giveaways or demonstrations, this category is designed to help you reach a large, enthusiastic audience. All materials and activities should be family-friendly.

Spanning more than six blocks of our historic downtown, the Ham & Yam Festival features three stages of live music, a car show, kids and adult activity zones, delicious food, and a full day of family fun—making it one of the best opportunities of the year for commercial vendors to build visibility and connect with thousands of potential customers.

The Ham & Yam Festival is proud to support and showcase the incredible work of our local nonprofit organizations. This category is designed for community groups, civic organizations, charitable programs, and mission-driven initiatives that want to connect with the more than 15,000 visitors who fill Downtown Smithfield during this signature event. Nonprofits are welcome to share information, promote services, raise awareness, offer activities or demonstrations, and fundraise through the sale of approved items. All displays, materials, and interactions should be family-friendly and reflective of your organization’s mission.

With over six blocks of entertainment—including three stages of live music, a car show, kids and adult activity zones, delicious food, and a full day of festivities—the Ham & Yam Festival offers nonprofits a valuable opportunity to engage supporters, build visibility, and strengthen connections within the community.

The Ham & Yam Festival is one of North Carolina’s most beloved spring traditions, drawing more than 15,000 visitors to Downtown Smithfield each year—and they come hungry! Our Food & Beverage category is designed for vendors serving delicious festival fare, specialty treats, refreshing beverages, and, of course, creative takes on our famous ham and yam theme. Whether you operate a food truck, trailer, tented setup, or specialty beverage stand, this is your opportunity to reach thousands of eager customers throughout a full day of nonstop activity.

All food and beverage vendors must comply with Johnston County Health Department and NC Department of Agriculture guidelines. Vendors should plan to be fully self-contained, prepared for high volume, and ready to help us offer an unforgettable culinary experience.

Stretching across more than six blocks of our historic downtown—with three stages of live music, a car show, kids and adult activity zones, and continuous crowds—Ham & Yam provides an exceptional platform to showcase your menu and connect with new customers. Join us and help make this year’s festival the tastiest one yet.

Get ready for some smokin’ hot competition at the 40th Annual Ham & Yam Festival, proudly presented by the Smithfield Firefighters Association! The Whole Hog BBQ Cook-Off is back, and this year we’re expecting more than 15,000 festival visitors to fill Downtown Smithfield, making it the perfect stage to showcase your skills and flavor.

Registration is open until April 15th and limited to 15 teams, so don’t wait to secure your spot! Teams will begin load-in at 12:00 PM on Friday, May 1st, and meat will be distributed at 6:00 PM, marking the start of the competition.

Judging will begin at 8:00 AM on Saturday morning, with the order of judging determined the night before. This event is sanctioned by the NC Pork Council, ensuring a professional and exciting competition.

Once judging is complete, teams must have their unseasoned pork chopped and placed in the designated area by 10:30 AM. Pans will be provided.

Bring your best recipes, fire up your pits, and get ready to impress thousands of festival-goers in this ultimate celebration of Carolina barbecue!

Become a Sponsor for the 40th Annual Ham & Yam Festival! Join us as a sponsor for the 40th Annual Ham & Yam Festival in Smithfield, NC, and gain exposure to over 20,000 attendees in a vibrant, family-friendly environment. As a sponsor, you’ll have the opportunity to showcase your brand to a large and diverse audience through prominent event signage, marketing materials, and social media promotion. Your support will help make this beloved community event possible while aligning your business with a fun, local tradition. Sponsorship packages offer a variety of benefits, including special recognition and exclusive opportunities to engage with festival-goers. Be part of the excitement and help us make this year’s festival the best one yet!

Become a Sponsor for the 40th Annual Ham & Yam Festival! Join us as a sponsor for the 40th Annual Ham & Yam Festival in Smithfield, NC, and gain exposure to over 20,000 attendees in a vibrant, family-friendly environment. As a sponsor, you’ll have the opportunity to showcase your brand to a large and diverse audience through prominent event signage, marketing materials, and social media promotion. Your support will help make this beloved community event possible while aligning your business with a fun, local tradition. Sponsorship packages offer a variety of benefits, including special recognition and exclusive opportunities to engage with festival-goers. Be part of the excitement and help us make this year’s festival the best one yet!

Become a Sponsor for the 40th Annual Ham & Yam Festival! Join us as a sponsor for the 40th Annual Ham & Yam Festival in Smithfield, NC, and gain exposure to over 20,000 attendees in a vibrant, family-friendly environment. As a sponsor, you’ll have the opportunity to showcase your brand to a large and diverse audience through prominent event signage, marketing materials, and social media promotion. Your support will help make this beloved community event possible while aligning your business with a fun, local tradition. Sponsorship packages offer a variety of benefits, including special recognition and exclusive opportunities to engage with festival-goers. Be part of the excitement and help us make this year’s festival the best one yet!

Become a Sponsor for the 40th Annual Ham & Yam Festival! Join us as a sponsor for the 40th Annual Ham & Yam Festival in Smithfield, NC, and gain exposure to over 20,000 attendees in a vibrant, family-friendly environment. As a sponsor, you’ll have the opportunity to showcase your brand to a large and diverse audience through prominent event signage, marketing materials, and social media promotion. Your support will help make this beloved community event possible while aligning your business with a fun, local tradition. Sponsorship packages offer a variety of benefits, including special recognition and exclusive opportunities to engage with festival-goers. Be part of the excitement and help us make this year’s festival the best one yet!

Become a Sponsor for the 40th Annual Ham & Yam Festival! Join us as a sponsor for the 40th Annual Ham & Yam Festival in Smithfield, NC, and gain exposure to over 20,000 attendees in a vibrant, family-friendly environment. As a sponsor, you’ll have the opportunity to showcase your brand to a large and diverse audience through prominent event signage, marketing materials, and social media promotion. Your support will help make this beloved community event possible while aligning your business with a fun, local tradition. Sponsorship packages offer a variety of benefits, including special recognition and exclusive opportunities to engage with festival-goers. Be part of the excitement and help us make this year’s festival the best one yet!

Become a Sponsor for the 40th Annual Ham & Yam Festival! Join us as a sponsor for the 40th Annual Ham & Yam Festival in Smithfield, NC, and gain exposure to over 20,000 attendees in a vibrant, family-friendly environment. As a sponsor, you’ll have the opportunity to showcase your brand to a large and diverse audience through prominent event signage, marketing materials, and social media promotion. Your support will help make this beloved community event possible while aligning your business with a fun, local tradition. Sponsorship packages offer a variety of benefits, including special recognition and exclusive opportunities to engage with festival-goers. Be part of the excitement and help us make this year’s festival the best one yet!

Become a Sponsor for the 40th Annual Ham & Yam Festival! Join us as a sponsor for the 40th Annual Ham & Yam Festival in Smithfield, NC, and gain exposure to over 20,000 attendees in a vibrant, family-friendly environment. As a sponsor, you’ll have the opportunity to showcase your brand to a large and diverse audience through prominent event signage, marketing materials, and social media promotion. Your support will help make this beloved community event possible while aligning your business with a fun, local tradition. Sponsorship packages offer a variety of benefits, including special recognition and exclusive opportunities to engage with festival-goers. Be part of the excitement and help us make this year’s festival the best one yet!

Become a Sponsor for the 40th Annual Ham & Yam Festival! Join us as a sponsor for the 40th Annual Ham & Yam Festival in Smithfield, NC, and gain exposure to over 20,000 attendees in a vibrant, family-friendly environment. As a sponsor, you’ll have the opportunity to showcase your brand to a large and diverse audience through prominent event signage, marketing materials, and social media promotion. Your support will help make this beloved community event possible while aligning your business with a fun, local tradition. Sponsorship packages offer a variety of benefits, including special recognition and exclusive opportunities to engage with festival-goers. Be part of the excitement and help us make this year’s festival the best one yet!