Festival Fridays: Bay Area Barbeque Cook-Off and Music Fest
Time to get your hungry on and head over to the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton for the 2nd Annual Bay Area Barbeque Cook-Off and Music Festival. This is the place for some lip-smacking ribs, tender pulled pork, and exceptional smoked brisket, not to mention some great beer and music.
The main feature, an invitation-only barbeque cook-off, bring in well-known competition teams from across the country, as well as the Aussom Aussie Australian BBQ team, making this event an international competition. Cheer on California teams from Oakland and Dos Palso, or any of the other award-winning teams that are traveling from Virginia, Texas, Indiana, Florida, Minnesota or Illinois. These teams will each be cooking between 100-150 cases of ribs over the 3-day event. Mmmmmmmm…..
If you’re really up to chowing down, you can hit Q’s Village, an all-you-can-eat BBQ buffet on Saturday and Sunday from 1-6pm ($25, includes the price of admission to the festival). For the more modest munchers among us, there will be food vendors throughout the venue, with BBQ, roasted corn, funnel cakes, and many of your summer favorites.
On Sunday, radio station 107.7 The Bone will host a Brew Fest from noon to 6pmfeaturing Microbreweries from all over Northern California and Portland, Oregon. Enjoy tasting from such breweries as Santa Cruz Ale Works, Linden Street Brewing, Black Diamond, Firestone-Walker Brewing, El Toro Brewing, Blue Frog Grog, Anderson Valley Brewing, St. Stans Brewery and more. A ticket ($25) to the Brew Fest includes admission to the whole festival.
Live entertainment starts today at 5:30 pm and continues through Sunday. Both Saturday and Sunday are jam-packed with musical talent, beginning at 11 a.m. both days and continuing until 8pm on Sunday. Rock, blues, country, Stevie Rae Vaughn tribute bands and more make up the sounds you’ll hear as you wander the venue.
Arts and crafts booths will feature unique finds, collectables, and handcrafted merchandise. There is a Kid’s Zone with a giant slide, carnival rides, clowns, face painting, a balloon artist, henna art and more.
Where: Alameda County Fairgrounds (directions here)
When: Friday 11-9, Saturday 11-9, Sunday 11-8
Cost: Friday 11-3 Free, after 3pm $3. Saturday and Sunday $5 (discount for seniors, children under 12 are free) Note: Parking is $8
FYI – I had every intention of listing open houses for you to see when in the area, but apparently the MLS in this area does not post Open Houses for their listings. I tried multiple services to get this information, but no luck. So go and enjoy the ribs, and don’t forget the sunscreen.
jay grossman said:
Yes, the MLS posts Open Houses on the Listings…maybe not all of them but I can
send out the list of OPEN HOUSES to go look at.
Why not look for a “Match” instead of just limiting yourself to the Open Houses. Sometimes the Best Deals are those that just come on the Market!!!
August 15, 2008 9:02 AM
susan.brady said:
Jay – I checked both Redfin and Movoto for open house listings and neither site had any listed at all, which I found strange. The reason that I post Open House info along with the festivals is that if people are visiting a new area, they can actually go and see a home that is open rather than just drive by a new one.
August 15, 2008 10:18 AM
Jeb Bing said:
The Pleasanton Weekly posts up-to-date lists of open houses on its website at http://www.pleasantonweekly.com. Go to the Aug. 15 (or any Friday) edition and then click on Open Houses under the Real Estate category.
http://www.pleasantonweekly.com/real_estate/ohg.php
August 16, 2008 8:40 AM
susan.brady said:
Thanks, Jeb! Not sure why they are not showing on Redfin or Movoto.
August 16, 2008 9:20 AM