The Safeway National Capital Barbecue Battle launched in 1992 as a way to celebrate southerners Bill Clinton and Al Gore winning the presidential election. The festival, which opened its 17th edition along Pennsylvania Avenue on Saturday and Sunday, now sees around 100,000 visitors each year. And it’s truly a family affair, with activities for every age—from moon bounces to Ecco Domani-sponsored wine lounges—and even husband-and-wife teams joining the 150 volunteers. The eight-block-long event showcased 25 restaurants and food vendors, 50 barbecue teams, 20 sponsors and exhibitors, and a product sampling tent from title sponsor Safeway. Tickets cost $10 for adults and $5 for children.
“The fact that it is the largest annual fundraiser for the Boys & Girls Clubs in D.C. really helps a lot because people just throw their hearts into it,” said Suzanne Tubis, vice president of publicity for the Safeway Barbecue Battle. “Attendees come down and are willing to do a little extra with volunteering or fund-raising. All kinds of different synergies happen there.”
Another draw: Barbecue, from award-winning restaurants and caterers from around the country, who stood to win over $40,000 in cash and prizes in the competitions throughout the festival, stretched as far as the eye could see. As visitors wandered from booth to booth, looking for the best pulled pork and ribs, event sponsors handed out freebies to garner attention. Post’s Honey Bunches of Oats offered samples in a honeycomb-shaped tent (complete with staffers in worker-bee helmets); Claussen pickles set up a taste-testing table to prove their product had the “freshest bite,” and the Wrigley’s-sponsored JamVan boasted sports trivia games, a flat-screen TV with clips, and a basketball court where N.B.A. fans could see showcases from Washington Wizards players Etan Thomas and Nick Young.
Some sponsors provided weary festival-goers with relief from the scorching heat. Sierra Mist passed out samples and invited curious visitors to walk through its “Sunwashing Facility,” a trailer set up with garden displays, videos of actors doing outdoor activities, and a photo booth with a beach-scene backdrop.
Event organizers also prepared for the heat. “If it gets above the mid-80s, it’s challenging for large crowds, especially because there’s a lot of activity at the event,” Tubis said. “We have rain rooms where people can go under misting tents, and a tremendous amount of tent cover for events and dining, which is much more than most street festivals.”
Tents covered the three music stages as well as the block-long Safeway Sampling Pavilion, which sampled some 30 sponsor products, including Lay's potato chips and Country Time lemonade. The average wait for the samples was 90 minutes.
