Get your BBQ on this weekend! The 3rd Annual Ridgefield Gone Country BBQ Festival returns on Saturday, April 30th, and Sunday, May 1st to the historic Lounsbury House in Ridgefield. The festival will feature two world-champion barbecue competitions, rides, games, and good eats for the entire family.
More than 40 master BBQ teams from across the region will compete in contests during this official Connecticut State Barbecue Championship, recognized by CT Governor Dannel P. Malloy in 2014. The renowned Kansas City Barbecue Society and the New England Barbecue Society contests will both be judged inside the Lounsbury House.
The Ridgefield Festival is also the second stop on the 2016 Great American Cookout Tour. The tour, now in its tenth year, stops at festivals across the United States and will share grilling tips and free samples with the 4,500 expected attendees. Live local bands from throughout Fairfield County will perform on the outdoor stage both days of the festival, and play a multitude of genres like rock, country, jazz and funk. Attendees will also enjoy carnival rides (including a mechanical bull) and food vendors carefully selected by the BBQ committee.
In addition to getting your fill of delicious BBQ (we think Kansas City style is the best), you can get your fill of live music too. Nine local performers will take the outdoor stage during the festival, and play a multitude of genres like rock, country, jazz and funk. First on the Festival stage on Saturday, April 30, will be singer-songwriter Jerome Goosman of Wilton, followed by accomplished pianist Michelle DeAngelis of New Rochelle, NY. The classic rock band, Kings and Queens, of Schuylkill County, PA, will rock the stage before turning it over to Bethel native Joe Pacelli and Danbury’s own Jesse Lynch, two multi-genre performers who play everything from reggae-funk and blues to Alternative rock and folk.
The Red Hots, a Danbury-based duo, will bring new life to jazz and blues standards with their blend of unique vocals, a ukulele/guitar mix, and driving percussion. Sloppy Joe and The Lunch Ladies, whose members hail from Fairfield, Westport, and Weston, will wrap the Saturday line up with improvisational funk, salsa, and rock.
On Sunday, May 1st, Woodbury native Erik Krieg will open the Festival with intimate guitar music. The indie Americana/Classic Rock/Country band from Danbury, New Incarnation, will play in the afternoon while New Fairfield residents and award-winning songwriters Lucinda and Michael wrap the Festival with memorable pop and rock melodies.
Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students, and free for children under 12 years old. For a more information visit www.RidgefieldBBQCT.com.
The Ridgefield Gone Country BBQ Festival is a collaboration between the Ridgefield Rotary Club and the Ridgefield Community Center. The event will be held from 11am-9pm on Saturday, April 30, and from 11am-5pm on Sunday, May 1st at the historic Lounsbury House, 316 Main Street, Ridgefield.