6th Annual Long Beach Event Features Barbecue, Bacon, Beer & Music
BBQ may be a Southern, Texas and Kansas City thing, but there’s a rib-roaring time with it to be had in Southern California.
The 6th annual West Coast BBQ Classic (WCBC) returns to Long Beach on May 13, in a park next to the legendary cruise ship Queen Mary.
It takes place from 11 a.m.-6 p.m., and features amateur and professional competitions.
There’s BBQ styles from across the country including Texas slow-cooked hickory barbeque, southern Memphis-style barbeque, and crisp slab-bacon. There’s entertainment and of course, beers and cocktails (of course you can’t have BBQ without beer!).
The competition is an official California-State-Certified, KCBS-Sanctioned, BBQ Championship and will bring the West Coast’s most accomplished champion pit masters together to compete for $11,500 in cash prizes. In addition to winning the largest cash prize payouts ever in WCBC history, pit masters also have the chance to win the coveted title of West Coast BBQ Pitmaster Champion.
Tickets are $18 each through May 1 and include event admission, five tasting tickets and – get this – same-day access to the Queen Mary. The latter alone cost $27 so if you go, take full advantage of being able to get on the legendary cruise ship.
After May 1, tickets increase to $24. VIP Value Pack tickets are $34 through May 1 and include exclusive one-hour early event admission and five tasting tickets. After May 1, VIP Value Pack tickets increase to $39. BBQ samples are $2 each.
Entertainment is on two stages with performances by country sensation Dean Kalogris, DJ Rod Epic and more artists to be announced. There’s also ackyard-lawn games, bars for those beers and cocktails and a merchant market.
“The West Coast BBQ Classic is an event we look forward to all year long,” said Steve Sheldon, Director of Events and Entertainment at the Queen Mary. “We are so excited to add the bacon and dessert categories to this year’s competition and expect more pitmasters and more delicious samplings than ever before.”
Event parking is $20.
Website & Tickets: QueenMary.com
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