One of Charlotte’s Favorite Festivals of the Year Features Unlimited House-Made Sausages, 30+ Craft Beers from 10 Local Charlotte Breweries and Live Music from 3 pm – 7 pm at Original JJ’s Red Hots in Dilworth
JJ’s Red Hots is ready to show off its sausage again at what has become one of Queen City’s favorite and perhaps most unique and aptly-named annual events: SausageFest.
JJ’s, featured earlier this year on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives on Food Network and famous for serving Charlotte’s best hot dogs and hand-crafted artisanal sausages, as well as exciting house-made sides and toppings, will flex its culinary muscles at the 6th annual beer and sausage tasting festival on Saturday, November 4th from 3 pm – 7 pm.
For $40 during pre-sale (highly recommended, as the event has sold out every year) or $45 on event day (unless sold out during pre-sale; designated drivers are in for $25 and kids under 10 are admitted free), SausageFest guests can enjoy unlimited house-made sausages (made exclusively for SausageFest), 30+ Craft Beers from local Charlotte breweries and live music. Ticket holders will receive an 8oz tasting glass to fill throughout the event. The glass doubles as a take-home souvenir as part of the entry fee.
“This is always our favorite day of the year and for a small hot dog joint, this is a really big deal for us. Every year, we get to show Charlotte what JJ’s is all about – hand crafted, delicious food served with passion,” said JJ’s proprietor Jonathan Luther, whose band The Whisky Dollars will perform live as well Late Night Special. “It’s an incredible collaboration with some of Charlotte’s favorite brewers, a family-friendly, dogs-welcome kind of festival you simply don’t want to miss.”
The event will be staged, rain or shine, in the parking lot of its original location in Dilworth (1514 East Boulevard – no worries, plenty of parking a couple blocks away). JJ’s will feature the following sausages – all made in-house:
- Kasekreiner– Smoked Beef and Pork Sausage stuffed with Swiss and Emmenthauler cheese with Sauerkraut and Hot Blonde Mustard
- JJ’s ‘Bratballs — JJ’s own Bratwurst made in a traditional Italian ‘meatball’ style, served with Housemade Pomodoro Sauce and Shredded Fontina Cheese
- Apple Smoked Wild Boar and Pork Sausage Stuffed with Grilled Portobello Mushrooms served with ’Mama Venits’ House Made Jalapeño Relish
- Smoked Duck Sausage with Sage and Roasted Garlic served with Gouchang Chili Orange Sauce
- Bavarian Weisswurst – Stuffed with House Cured Bacon and served on a Pretzel Roll with House-made Sweet Mustard
- Traditional ‘Washing Day’ Red Beans and Rice served with House Smoked Andouille
- Chorizo Pie Served with Roasted Tomatillo Salsa and Cilantro Lime Crema
SausageFest will feature craft beer from The Unknown Brewing Company, Blue Blaze Brewing, Legion Brewing, Sycamore Brewing, Triple C Brewing Company, Windy Hill Orchard, Lenny Boy Brewing Co., The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery, Birdsong Brewing Co. and Hyde Brewing.
“World-class sausage is one of JJ’s most popular items so when we first opened, we decided for one day a year, we were going to put a no limits sign on them. It was then that SausageFest was born,” said Brandy Newton, JJ’s chief brand officer. “It’s our day to rule world with 250 of our favorite friends sucking down local craft beers and hand-made sausages. It always sells out so get your tickets now so you’re won’t have sausage envy on November 4th.
JJ’s 6th annual SausageFest promotion will happen as the brand remains on an incredible roll that began on July 4th five years ago. In addition to February’s “Triple D” feature on Food Network and making Fast Casual’s Top 100 Movers & Shakers list for two years running, JJ’s has swept all of Charlotte’s Best Hot Dog awards in the past five years. Most recently, JJ’s was named by Tabelog as One of The 10 Most Unique Hotdog Joints in America, was cited by Spoon University as The 50 Best Foods to Eat in Charlotte Before You Die and as one of the 10 Best Hot Dog Joints Across the State by North Carolina’s Our State magazine.
JJ’s Red Hots is the premier purveyor of “hand-crafted” char-grilled hot dogs and sausages with two locations and several portable vehicles in the Charlotte metropolitan area. The restaurant concept is built on solid, hardworking values and is modeled after venerable establishments like Ted’s in Buffalo, NY, Gene and Jude’s in Chicago, and many others. Still, JJ’s is a true American original featuring house-made, scratch prepared sides and toppings served alongside time tested, revered American brands like Weber’s Mustard, Martin’s Rolls, Cheerwine and Coca-Cola. Perhaps most proudly, JJ’s Red Hots serves smokehouse hot dogs from Sahlen’s Meat Packing Company in Buffalo, NY. Sahlen’s is a 146-year-old company that remains family owned and operated, and makes, in our opinion, the best hot dogs in the world.
