Nothing says summer like barbecue. The 12th annual Big Apple Barbecue is set to take place in Madison Square Park on June 7 and 8 and will showcase 16 of the country’s top barbecue experts. Over 140,000 visitors are expected. The pit masters are participating from more than a dozen states, from Texas to Missouri to North and South Carolina.
From New York City, the pit masters are: Jean-Paul Bourgeois (Blue Smoke), Charles Grund Jr. (Hill Country), John Stage (Dinosaur Bar-B-Que), and Daniel Delaney (Delaney Barbecue). Also present will be Patrick Martin from Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint (Nashville, Tenn.), Scott Roberts from The Salt Lick Bar-B-Que (Driftwood, Texas), and Jimmy Hagood from BlackJack Barbecue (Charleston, S.C.).
Admission to the event is free; plates are $9 each, with proceeds going to the Madison Square Park Conservancy.
Those who want to bypass the lines can get a FastPass, for $125 each, which includes $100 that can be redeemed toward food or beverage, and access to express lines.
The new BigPiggin’ Pass ($265) provides FastPass access along with entry to a VIP hospitality area, that includes an open bar, shaded seating, and complimentary barbecue, sides, and sweets.
