Safeway National Capital Barbecue Battle 2008

[berta]

Info on the 2008 Barbecue is here! For more info 202-828-3099- or look up National Capital Barbecue Battle on the web-I'm too new here to be able to post a link-
it's great time and more event and exhibits are being added ...

Saturday, June 21st & Sunday, June 22nd, 2008 –

Safeway Barbecue Battle XVI
America’s Food & Music Extravaganza

Early summer in Washington is a quiet time on Capital Hill, but everything’s cooking just below on Pennsylvania Ave. In June 2008, for the first time ever, The Kansas City Barbecue Society (KCBS) will share the stage with the Memphis in May World Barbecue Championship (MIM) in a “duel” contest at Safeway’s Barbecue Battle XVI in Washington, DC. In this photogenic and powerful setting, the Nation’s best barbecue teams will have a chance to cook-off for over $40,000 in cash and prizes under the auspices of two major competition barbecue organizations on the same event weekend. Winning teams chosen from as many as 29 states will also take away impressive trophies and one team will earn the title of “National Pork Champion.” Safeway’s ground-breaking contest will take place on June 21 and 22, 2008, in the heart of the Nation’s Capital, with northern and southern barbecue contenders cooking-off right on the country’s historic Mason-Dixon Line.

At the Safeway Barbecue Battle event, held each year on the first weekend of summer, while the competition rages tens of thousands of local, national and international Barbecue Battle enthusiasts enjoy free food samples in the Safeway Sampling Pavilion, celebrity chefs and on-going cooking entertainment on multiple demonstration stages. Top barbecue restaurants and caterers from across the country offer all kinds of mouth-watering barbecue while 30 great rock, R&B, jazz and blues bands perform on three stages. This year’s musical entertainment includes rock icon, Leon Russell, popular smooth jazz star Roy Ayers, Washington’s own “Godfather of Go-Go” Chuck Brown, boogie-woogie master Deanna Bogart and young rockers Fools & Horses and Jimmies Chicken Shack along with lots of top local bands. The Battle also hosts many exciting interactive exhibits each year like the NBA Nation Tour and Disney movie tours, lots of children’s activities and amusing Americana, with magicians, prizes and more to round out the family fun!

With so much to eat, see and do, the Safeway Barbecue Battle has garnered many awards and prizes, was voted a “Top 10 BBQ Event” by The Travel Channel and Discovery.com and is featured internationally on television newscasts each year. The event is the largest annual fundraiser for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington Metropolitan Police Clubhouses, and has donated nearly one million dollars in past years.

Event tickets are only $10/adults, $5/kids 6-12, and younger children enter free. Admission includes a donation to the Boy & Girls Clubs, lots of free food samples, all the great live music, 6 cooking stages, celebrity chefs and other fun family entertainment.