Brisbane BBQ Festival

Overview

Without anyone really realising it, low and slow barbecuing has become Brisbane's favourite style of food preparation, and there's a festival to prove it. Come July 2, the Brisbane Showgrounds will be engulfed in the kind of smoky, spicy taste sensations that can only come from taking your time to lock in as much goodness as possible.

At the second annual Brisbane BBQ Festival, a convoy of food trucks, burger joints and ore will converge upon Bowen Hills to prove their culinary patience. They'll be starting up their ovens long before their doors open, and you'll get to devour the long-simmering rewards.

Between sampling from the likes of Ze Pickle, Bella BBQ, German Sausage Hut and How We Rolls (to name a few), sipping frosty bevs at pop-up bars, and learning up at masterclasses and workshops, you'll also watch teams of professionals battle it out to be crowned the low and slow champions — while scoring free samples of their creations. And if your own gastronomic itches need scratching, you can then browse the boutique marketplace for barbecue-related products to help you whip up a storm at home.

The sounds of the John Steel Singers will provide your ultimate barbecue soundtrack, with The Hi Boys and Big Blind Ray among the others on the bill. If that seems like too much fun for just one day, that's because it is.

Image: Brent Hofacker.