Another year means another summer in NYC.
Longer days, longer nights, harder drinks, more drinks, more friends, & of course the Big Apple Barbecue block party!!
But first, what is The Big Apple Barbecue?
2016 marks the 14th annual Big Apple BBQ Block Party. It is an annual barbecue festival that is held in New York City at Madison Square Park.
In the park, there are games, barbecue related samples/products, musical performances, a shaded area with seats, and a beer and wine station among other things. However, on the outskirts of the park, in the street and along the sidewalks are where the food and fun truly lie.
Lining the sidewalks are some of the most well-known Pitmasters from all over the country who come and show off what they can do! This year, there were 14 contestants. I listed them below and you can read more about each pitmaster by clicking on their name, and visit their restaurant’s website by clicking on the name of the restaurant.
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Billy Durney, Hometown Bar-B-Que, Brooklyn, NY
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Chris Lilly, Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q, Decatur, AL
A photo posted by Chris Lilly (@chrislillybbq) on
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Ed Mitchell & Ryan Mitchell, Ed Mitchell’s Q at the Creek, Raleigh, NC
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Garry Roark & Leslie Roark Scott, Ubon’s Barbeque, Yazoo City, MS
Have a smokin good Fathers Day weekend y’all!
A photo posted by ubonsbbq (@ubonsbbq) on
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Jean-Paul Bourgeois, Blue Smoke, New York, NY
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Joe Duncan, Baker’s Ribs, Dallas, TX
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John Stage, Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, New York, NY
A photo posted by Dinosaur BBQ (@dinosaur_bbq) on
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John Wheeler, Memphis Barbecue Co., South Haven, MS
(Couldn’t find a picture somehow)
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Mike Mills & Amy Mills, 17th St. Bar-B-Que, Murphysboro, IL
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Pat Martin, Martin’s Bar-B-Que, Nashville, TN
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Sam Jones, Skylight Inn / Sam Jones BBQ, Ayden, NC
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Scott Roberts, Salt Lick BBQ, Driftwood, TX
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Charles Grund Jr., Hill Country, New York, NY
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Tim Hutchins & Dustin Blackwell, Hutchins BBQ, Dallas, TX
They bring their squads, their smokers, their best meats, their recipes and their game faces. They feed thousands of hungry new yorkers as they line up for sample-sized plates that are for sale.
Unlike other barbecue festivals that have judges and give away prizes in order from greatest to least favorite in different categories, The Big Apple BBQ Block Party is more of a “you try it and be the judge” kind of event, which I’m assuming not many people mind. Since the first time I heard about The Big Apple BBQ, I couldn’t wait to attend. Three years ago, before moving to New York, I was in my hometown, Providence, Rhode Island
scanning through any pictures and videos that I could find of what I felt was a dream event called The Big Apple BBQ.
I had Promised myself that I would catch this huge event one day because I love barbecue so much and genuinely wanted to learn more about it.
Fast forward – Three years and three Big Apple BBQ’s later I’m living in New York City, where I’ve been able to take full advantage of the event which is one of the largest barbecue festivals in the United States.
After my first two experiences, I saw that this event was everything that I had been hoping for and more. I was able to try great food from pitmasters from around the country, began to learn about smokers, techniques, and other real barbecue equipment, and was able to meet some really cool people from all over in the process.
But for my third trip, I really wanted to do something different.
By the time my third Big Apple BBQ experience came around, I felt that I wanted to capture the experience for people who are like I was before. I was just at home looking for the best pictures, videos, and any other coverage on the event that I could find, and although I did get an idea of what the event was like somewhat, I couldn’t find anything that I was truly looking for, or that really made me feel like I knew what the event was about, so I decided to try to help by making it on my own.
The day of The Big Apple Barbecue was scorching hot. I took my camera out and tried to get some good shots of the people, food, and the event in general while also attempting to not melt away. Soon after the event, I wrote this post, put the footage together, and uploaded a video that I feel represents The Big Apple BBQ Block Party much better than anything I’ve seen.
If you’re watching this, I encourage you to leave your comments and/or your thoughts.
If you’re thinking about trying to make it to The 15th Annual – 2017 Big Apple BBQ Block Party in NYC, it is highly suggested that you do!
– rouk
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