Chandler, Arizona—Get ready for a finger licking good time this Saturday in downtown Chandler for the Great American Barbeque and Beer Festival. Doors open at noon, general admission is $10 and more than 60 BBQ pitmasters are expected to serve up the state’s finest que including smoked tri-tip, skirt steak, brisket, BBQ chicken, pulled pork sandwiches, ribs, brats, wings, grilled corn, BBQ nachos, BBQ burritos, and all the fixings. Pair all of that delicious food with 200 kegs of cold craft beer from SanTan Brewing Company, who will officially launch their 2014 summer seasonal, Mr. Pineapple Wheat Beer at the festival. In addition to craft beer, patrons will enjoy whiskey from Bulleit Bourbon and Dickel Bourbon.
The Great American Barbeque & Beer Festival will feature a great entertainment lineup including Grammy award winning band, Blues Traveler. Best known for their mid-90’s Billboard top ten breakthrough hit, “Run-Around”, Blues Traveler’s trademark sound has captivated more than 30 million fans around the world. Blues Traveler will headline the event, taking the stage at 8 p.m. for a two hour set.
Opening up for Blues Traveler, fans will enjoy a great foot stompin’ country lineup including Craig Campbell, Laura Walsh, and Georgia Chrome. Craig Campbell, a country music singer from Lyons, Georgia, is best known for his single “Family Man” which reached number 14 on the Billboard Top 20 in April, 2011 selling more than a quarter of a million downloads.
Other event highlights include the SanTan Brewing Tailgater’s Lawn, Ultra Star March Madness Lounge, Chester’s Harley Davidson Pavilion, Porkopolis VIP Quarters, Dickel Hoedown Rodeo Zone, Bulleit Bourbon BBQ Pit Row, DC Farmers Market, and an expanded kid’s play zone. The Great American Barbeque & Beer Festival will also feature four eating contests including brats, wings, pie and ribs. All contests will take place in front of the main stage. Contestants must sign up at each sponsors booth at least 30 minutes or more prior to the contest. One winner in each category will win a $100 gift card.
Here’s the schedule:
3 p.m. Von Hanson’s Meats & Spirits brat eating contest
4 p.m. Hungry Monk’s wing eating contest
5 p.m. Tastebuds pie eating contest
6 p.m. Can’t Stop Smokin’ BBQ rib eating contest
General admission tickets are $10 and that includes entry into the event at noon. Food and beverages are sold separately. Children 12 years of age and younger are admitted for free. Presale tickets can be purchased online at www.chandlerBBQ.com.
For more event information be sure to “like” this event on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BBQ.beer.
The Great American Barbeque & Beer Festival official sponsors include; Bashas’, Ak-Chin Indian Communities, Downtown Chandler Community Partnership, SanTan Brewing Company, 102.5 KNIX, BBQ Island, Chester’s Harley Davidson, Arizona Pork Council, AZ BBQ Club, Phoenix New Times, Local First AZ, Porkopolis, Bulleit Bourbon, Dickel Bourbon, Woodcraft, Von Hanson’s Meats & Spirits, The Hungry Monk, Tastebuds, Can’t Stop Smokin’ BBQ, SanTan Volkswagen, One Community, Frontdoors News, and Local Lily who all remind you to enjoy BBQ and beer responsibly.
A portion of the event proceeds will benefit the Boot Campaign, a 501(c)(3) dedicated to providing assistance to wounded military and their families with job placement and securing mortgage free homes, post traumatic stress disorder counseling, adaptive clothing and much more. For more information about the Boot Campaign, visit www.bootcampaign.com.