Spartanburg's Sparkle City Rhythm & Ribs is this weekend. What you need to know.

Sparkle City Rhythm & Ribs Festival will allow people to eat barbecue and listen to music this weekend in Barnet Park in downtown Spartanburg.

The annual festival, hosted by The Spartanburg Southside Lions Club, is planned for Saturday, June 3, from 1-10 p.m. in the park, located at 248 E. St. John St. The event will have plenty of local barbecue as well as gospel and Motown performances.

Tickets are available for $15 for adults and $5 for children ages 10-18 on Eventbrite or at the gate on the day of the event. Children under 10 get in free.

Here are five things to know about the event:

Sparkle City Rhythm & Ribs gives back to the community

Sparkle City Rhythm & Ribs Festival has been hosted by the Spartanburg Southside Lions Club for six years. It was started to raise money for the club to give back to the community. The club organizes a number of community service projects including providing free eye exams and glasses for those in need.

This year's event benefits Backpack Buddies, which provides weekend meals to students in need, and Southside Lions Vision Services. The group also will donate to The South Carolina School for the Blind, Miracle Hill Ministries, Upstate Stand Down for Veterans, and the Spartanburg Soup Kitchen.

There will be tons of barbecue and other treats

Attendees will be able to buy lunch or dinner from Mo & Joe’s BBQ, Jus Roastin, Fresh-N-Ready, Cool Hawgz BBQ, Taste of Home Food Express, Gullah Q Low Country BBQ, Royalty Jerk Hut & Catering, and Michaels Rollin Smoke BBQ.

Barbecue options include:

• MO & JOE’S BBQ will serve barbecue ribs, chicken, beef brisket, and pulled pork
• COOL HAWGZ BBQ will provide barbecue ribs, wings, and pulled pork
• GULLAH Q LOW COUNTRY BBQ will sell low-country barbecue
• MICHAELS ROLLIN SMOKE BBQ will sell brisket, ribs, pulled pork, and chopped chicken

Sweets and snacks like Italian ice, funnel cakes, fried Oreos, cotton candy, chicken tenders and corndogs will also be available.

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The afternoon is dedicated to gospel music

Three gospel groups will take the stage between 1:30 and 4 p.m., including the local Mount Moriah Baptist Church's Men's Choir.

• 1:30 - 2 - Mount Moriah Church Men's Choir
• 2:15 - 4 - Pastor Billy Houze & The Gospel IQs
• 3:15 - 4 - Bishop RL Ponder & The Ponder Brothers

The evening's music will be more eclectic

DJs and an R&B group will take the stage in the evening. This year's headliner is Tony Howard's Motown Revue.

• 4:15 - 5 - Ceej
• 5 - 6 - DJ Nuvo
• 6:15 - 7:15 - The Enforcers
• 7:30 - 10 - Tony Howard's MOTOWN Revue

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There will be plenty to see and do

The festival will feature a number of retail and craft vendors, like The Jewelry Conxion, Designs by Kween, Dawn’s Permanent Jewelry, and Quilts Customs, where people can shop. 

There will also be a kids' zone with special entertainment for younger attendees. 

Samantha Swann covers city news, development and culture in Spartanburg. She is a University of South Carolina Upstate and Greenville Technical College alumna. Contact her atsswann@shj.com or on Instagram at @sam_on_spartanburg. Can't get enough food news?Subscribe to our weekly newsletter for foodies, Spartanburg Eats.