Second annual Downtown Mesa BBQ Classic set for Nov. 8-9
Nov 3, 2024, 3:00 PM
PHOENIX — Pitmasters and smoky meat connoisseurs will join forces this weekend in the East Valley, as the Downtown Mesa BBQ Classic will take over the city for the second year running.
This Friday and Saturday, MacDonald and Pepper Place will treat community members to six cooking competitions, barbecue tastings, live music, professional line dancing lessons and more.
A dessert and appetizer competition will be held on Friday from 5-9 p.m., with a sanctioned Barbecue Championship Series four-meat competition and a “Kids-Q” competition to be contested from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday. More than 40 pitmasters from across the region will be on site to battle for the ultimate crown.
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General admission is free but guests can purchase tasting tickets for $2 at the event for any of the cooking competitions, and they can partake in determining the dessert and appetizer winner. Guests who plan on attending are encouraged to arrive early, as tasting tickets may sell out.
The four-meat champion will be decided by a panel of BBQ expert judges.
Guests can buy barbecue and non-barbecue plates from local food vendors all of Saturday. Prices at each vendor vary.
“We’re bringing the best of BBQ from across the region with top pitmasters, local food vendors and an array of family-friendly activities for everyone,” Terry Madeksza, director of the Downtown Mesa Association, said in a press release. “There truly is no other event in metro Phoenix that comes close to what people can expect to see and taste.
“We’re cranking up the heat for an experience that will have people talking — and tasting — long after the grills cool down.”
Last year’s event saw teams, rather than individuals, compete for a $10,000 grand prize.
The Downtown Mesa Association event is sponsored by Purely Sedona, Visit Mesa and MDC Productions.
