BBQ, Bar-B-Q, Bar-B-Que, Barbecue. And if in Australia, Barbi Mates. Now matter how you slice it, the smell of burning wood, sauces, heat, fire, spicy rubs, the outdoors, marinades and slow-cooking meat is a sensational delight beyond measure. Well, maybe not to Vegetarians, but for us meat-lovers, the tradition of barbeque is close to our hearts particularly if you hail from Texas or South Carolina. Barbecue is more than a meal. It is an event. In the South, the tradition involves people gathering for good barbecue, whether they invited or not. Barbecue is an event, sometimes an all day event, that gathers people around a fire to talk, watch, smell and eat like gods. Like the firey gatherings of our ancestors this is the place to eat, drink, be merry and tell stories.

This fabulous tradition of barbecue has shifted West and landed in a big way in Los Angeles at the Santa Monica Pier. Every year, the Los Angeles Barbecue Festival carouses meat-lovers, socialites, barbecue afficianados, cooks, local residents, musicians, sauciers, vendors, pitmasters, Southern transplants and an assortment of other characters to the seaside to enjoy this collosal annual event. This finger-licking festival seems to draw larger and larger crowds every year and with that draws more and more pitmasters from all corners of the nation offering a wider selection of traditional BBQ favorites. The favorites of all things things meaty, slathered, spiced and grilled will most certainly have you reaching for your pocket Wet Wipes. The event starts at 12:00PM and goes to 6:00PM. The event is located at Santa Monica Pier North Parking Lot, 1550 Pacific Coast Highway, Santa Monica, CA 90401. So mark your calanders for May 9th and 10th and bring your big game hunger to the beach!

Go Los Angeles BBQ Festival 2009