Despite periods of steady rain throughout Memorial Day Weekend, thousands of visitors still made their way to Hancock Town Square for the 2026 Blues, Brews & BBQ Festival hosted by the Greater Hancock Area Farmer's Market & Crafts Fair— helping kick off the summer tourism season with strong attendance, live music, local food, craft brews, and family-friendly fun.
According to pedestrian analytics collected at the Hancock Town Square Pavilion, the two-day event generated more than 3,462 visits between Saturday, May 23 and Sunday, May 24.
Sunday saw the largest turnout of the weekend with approximately 1,816 visits, while Saturday welcomed another 1,646 visitors despite challenging weather conditions at times.
Festival organizer and Hancock Area Chamber of Commerce President Paul Siegler noted that the rain likely contributed to shorter average visit times throughout portions of the weekend, as many attendees stopped into the square briefly between showers, visited vendors and food stands, listened to music, and then continued exploring the community or returned later in the day.
“Considering the on-and-off rain throughout the weekend, we were extremely pleased with the turnout,” said Richard Lowe - Chamber Secretary. “People still came downtown, supported the vendors, enjoyed the music, grabbed food and drinks, and helped create a great atmosphere all weekend long.”
BlueZoo analytics showed the busiest period of the festival occurred at 1:00 PM on Sunday, when more than 322 visits were recorded within a single hour around the Town Square.
The event featured:
Live regional music performances
Petting Zoo by Klondike Farm
BBQ hosted by American Legion Post 289
Craft brews from Bittersweet Brewery
Family activities and playground access
Local vendors and community organizations
The American Legion's Commander Chuck Berry served approximately 100 BBQ meals during the event weekend, helping raise awareness for veterans initiatives and upcoming community programming.
While many festival-goers made shorter visits due to the weather, organizers say the consistent flow of people throughout the weekend still provided valuable visibility and economic activity for downtown Hancock businesses and participating vendors. Restaurants, bars, and storefronts saw the greatest traffic and left compared to outdoor vendors as the rain was a barrier to sales and foot traffic in the Town Square for more than 15mins.
The Blues, Brews & BBQ Festival continues to grow as one of Hancock’s signature seasonal events and an important tourism draw for the Upper Delaware region.
The event was presented through the continued partnership of:
Greater Hancock Farmers Market & Crafts Fair
Hancock Area Chamber of Commerce
Hancock Partners
Organizers also thanked the many donors, volunteers, sponsors, musicians, vendors, and community supporters who helped make the weekend possible.
Additional "Summer Saturdays" events are planned throughout the season at Hancock Town Square each Saturday 10AM-2PM, as Hancock continues building on its growing reputation as a vibrant small-town destination in the Western Catskills.
