First Annual Sumter County Barbecue Festival and Car Show Draws Crowd

The event featured food, merchandise, and political candidates in Americus, Georgia.

Mar. 16, 2026 at 2:21am

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The First Annual Sumter County BBQ Festival and Car Show took place on Saturday, March 14 at the Sumter County Fairgrounds in Americus, Georgia. The event, organized by Justin Shell of Future Media Services, aimed to bring the community together and featured over two dozen merchandise and food booths, free bounce houses for kids, and appearances by local political candidates.

Why it matters

Community events like this barbecue festival and car show help foster a sense of local pride and engagement, bringing residents together around shared interests and providing opportunities for small businesses and political candidates to connect with constituents.

The details

The festival featured a variety of food, merchandise, and activity vendors, including bounce houses provided by a new local startup company, Southern Bull & Inflatables. Several local businesses and organizations sponsored the event, showcasing the community support. Two candidates for Superior Court Judge, Lisa Jones and Wesley Beamon, were present to introduce themselves to voters, while the third candidate, Patrick Eidson, was attending his son's track meet.

  • The First Annual Sumter County BBQ Festival and Car Show took place on Saturday, March 14, 2026.
  • The event was held at the Sumter County Fairgrounds in Americus, Georgia.

The players

Justin Shell

One of the owners of Future Media Services, who organized the event.

Lisa Jones

Candidate for Superior Court Judge.

Wesley Beamon

Candidate for Superior Court Judge.

Patrick Eidson

Candidate for Superior Court Judge and event sponsor.

Santiago and Alexis Rueda

Owners of Southern Bull & Inflatables, a new startup company that provided the free bounce houses for the event.

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What they’re saying

“We hope to make this an annual event to bring the community together. We want everybody to come out and have a good time. We greatly appreciate all of our sponsors.”

— Justin Shell, Owner, Future Media Services

The takeaway

This community-focused barbecue festival and car show highlights the importance of local events that bring residents together, support small businesses, and engage political candidates with their constituents, fostering a sense of shared identity and pride in Sumter County.