20 Years of Ribs and Real Talk: BAR Rib Fest Returns to Carmel's VFW Post 10003

Published September 4, 2026

This Sunday, a backyard barbecue that started two decades ago turns 20 — and it's grown into one of the most quietly important events on the Carmel calendar. Building a Refuge brings its annual BAR Rib Fest to Carmel VFW Post 10003 on Sunday, September 6, with free admission, a full day of live music, and a whole lot of pulled pork.

It's a five-minute drive west of Midtown, at 12863 Old Meridian Street, and it's worth the trip.

What's Happening Sunday

Doors and lawn open early — bring a chair or a pop-up tent, because there's open grass and people stake out a spot. Opening remarks land around 12:35 p.m., the program kicks off at about 12:45 p.m., and the day runs long, with music going until roughly 9 p.m.

The food line is the part to plan around. Veterans, first responders, and seniors get a priority line at 3:30 p.m., and the general line opens at 4 p.m. On the plate: ribs, pulled pork, and mac and cheese. Admission is free, but this is a fundraiser — bring cash or a card and give what you can.

The music lineup is deep for a free event: The Royal Keys, Circle City Deacons, Bell-Bottom Cowboys, Naptown Hellcats, and Big in Belgium. WIBC's Jason Hammer brings a stand-up set, and there's a preview screening of a documentary about the organization's work.

Why This One Matters

Rib Fest raises money and awareness for men's mental health and suicide prevention, and it lands squarely in National Suicide Prevention Month.

Building a Refuge is a Carmel-area 501(c)(3) founded in 2018 by Brandon Leum and Erik Robinson. Leum started the nonprofit the same year he lost his brother to suicide; he lost his stepsister in 2022. Robinson survived his own attempt in 2010 after a period of severe financial distress. What began as an informal cookout among friends became the organization's signature event.

Their approach is peer support rather than clinical treatment — getting men in a room together and letting connection do the work. As Leum has put it: "I'm not a counselor. I'm not a licensed therapist... we just want to be a bridge for resources." The organizers describe Rib Fest as carrying no obligations and no expectations — just food, music, and connection.

The group also runs the BARcast podcast and opened BAR Coffee Club in downtown Noblesville this past July, giving the community a year-round place to land instead of one Sunday in September.

About the Post

Delbert L. Waugh VFW Post 10003 has been the host venue, and it's a natural fit. Beyond hall rentals and the honor guard, the post's programming includes veteran outreach and mental wellness — the exact overlap Rib Fest sits in. Post 10003 also runs POW/MIA recognition, Americanism and community service work, and youth scholarships, and it hosted its first annual Military Ball this year. If you've driven past the building on Old Meridian a hundred times without stopping in, Sunday is a good excuse.

If You Go

What: BAR Rib Fest, 20th annual
When: Sunday, September 6, 2026 — program starts around 12:45 p.m., food at 3:30/4 p.m., music until about 9 p.m.
Where: Carmel VFW Post 10003, 12863 Old Meridian St., Carmel
Cost: Free admission; donations support Building a Refuge
Bring: Lawn chairs, a tent if you want shade, and a friend who could use the afternoon

Twenty years is a long run for anything, let alone a barbecue that exists so somebody has a reason to show up. Go eat some ribs.

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Sources: Building a Refuge, Delbert L. Waugh VFW Post 10003, WIBC, Current in Carmel, Hoodline. If you or someone you know is struggling, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7 by call or text.