Award-winning line-up announced for The FUME Pit with guest appearances from Big John and more

Brand new major weekend camping festival State Fayre has announced the eagerly anticipated line-up for the inaugural FUME Pit. Hosted on-site by FUME, the UK’s premier live-fire BBQ festival, The FUME Pit will feature a mouth-watering collection of some of the country’s finest and most exciting pitmasters and traders. Confirmed names include Netflix’s Barbecue Showdown star KG BBQ from Austin, Texas and renowned for bold Texas-Egyptian fusion barbecue; multi-award-winning chef James Peck of the acclaimed wood-fired restaurant Ember; dramatic open-flame theatre and oak-smoked meats from The Dragon Flame BBQ; London’s best ribs from Rack City Ribs (overall champion at FUME Festival and masters of slow-cooked soul food with Southern and Caribbean flair); multi-award-winning wings from Shwings and Ginger Wings; standout plant-based offerings from Wholesome Junkies (as seen on Netflix and BBC Two’s Million Pound Menu) and London’s leading vegan smokehouse LD’s Kitchen.

Taking place 26-28 June at Hylands Park, Chelmsford, State Fayre have also shared additional music names joining the bill today.

Tickets are on sale now via www.statefayre.com, with payment plan options available.

Audiences will be able to immerse themselves in the sounds, sights, and tastes of Americana across the whole weekend as the UK’s premier BBQ festival, FUME will host The FUME Pit. The full line-up of traders has today been revealed, featuring an all-star roster that includes Austin’s KG BBQ, multi-award-winning wood-fired chef James Peck of Ember, Rack City Ribs, Craft & Cleaver, Ginger Wings, Poor Boys, LD’s Kitchen, Temper, Blacksmith Smokers, The Dragon Flame BBQ, Yello Yard, Shwings, E8 Fish, Game & Flames and Wholesome Junkies. All traders will offer a selection of dishes, with the majority priced under £10, creating the perfect opportunity for a full, accessible BBQ tasting experience across the weekend.

The FUME Pit will also feature the largest live-fire cooking display ever seen in the UK, an epic spectacle of giant rigs specially delivered from as far as Brazil and the USA, alongside the biggest offset smokers and BBQ trailers the country has ever seen.

Alongside global BBQ superstars and locally-based delicious delights, attendees will have the chance to get involved with on-site eating competitions and watch live food demonstrations from revered pitmasters alongside some special guest ‘headliner’ appearances from content creators such as ‘Big John’ John Fisher, Eating With Tod and Ollie Eats.

(Photo: KG BBQ)

Co-founded by social media sensation Eating With Tod, FUME has set the standard for BBQ excellence, with the largest BBQ cages in the UK and demonstrations from some of the most talented chefs in the country.

FUME Festival Co-Founder and Managing Director at Savour Events, Alex Holland Davis said:
“We’re rolling the biggest BBQs ever made in Britain and from across the Atlantic into Hylands Park for the inaugural State Fayre alongside some of the most talented pitmasters the world has to offer. The FUME Pit brings together the UK’s most-awarded pitmasters alongside 2025 FUME Champion and Austin native KG BBQ for an unforgettable live-fire spectacle. Every trader will offer at least one BBQ dish for under £10, making world-class barbecue accessible to every fan, all hand-picked by Eating With Tod.

This is about giving State Fayre’s visitors a true BBQ tasting experience alongside a brilliant music line-up. Working with the Live Nation and Festival Republic teams has been a real privilege. This is the biggest BBQ moment a UK music festival has ever delivered, and it’s only the beginning.”