Beer. Bands. BBQ. This year’s Santa Clarita BBQ & Beer Festival is more than just a walk in the park. Residents who love the idea of a celebration with food trucks, craft beer and rhythm and blues will flock to Central Park May 5-7 for a 3-day event featuring barbecued food from some of the area’s best restaurants while live music fills the air. And what’s on tap? Every beer imaginable.
For the second year, the BBQ & Beer Festival is coming to Santa Clarita with craft beers, barbecue and sauce vendors to share with thousands of visitors. Adults 21 and older can kick off the Cinco de Mayo weekend with craft beer tasting on Friday night, May 5 from 5:30-9:30 p.m.
“This year there is a bigger venue, more BBQ, more beer and more music!” said California Beer Festival creator Vincenzo Giammanco. “We are excited to bring blues, brews and BBQ to Santa Clarita. Friday it’s all about craft beer and BBQ, with a large beer tasting from over 60 different craft beers on tap. Saturday and Sunday is family-friendly, with a large kid’s zone.”
The Festival is open Saturday 12 noon-8 p.m. and Sunday 12 noon-6 p.m. Rock legends act Skinny Little Twits will entertain visitors Saturday night, followed by Highway Starr, who brings modern (and classic) country hits to the beer-loving crowds. L.A. Latin-funk group Adelaide will complete the night on the festival stage.
Sunday there is a blues-heavy lineup, including performances from Michael John & the Bottom Line alongside the masters of classic (but original) soul, Jack Mack & the Heart Attack Horns. The weekend’s entertainment will be headlined by the endlessly celebrated and renowned blues artist Tommy Castro & the Painkillers.
Participating breweries include; House Beer, Santa Maria Brewing Company, MadeWest, Rincon Brewery, Poseidon Brewing Co., The Dudes Brewing Co., St. Killian Importing, The Bloody Cure, Angel City Brewery, Golden Road Brewing, Goose Island Beer Co., Sierra Nevada, Stella Artois, Wolf Creek Brewing, Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits, Pocock Brewing Co., Lagunitas Brewing Company, Island Brewing Company, Elysian Brewing, Coronado Brewing Co., Firestone Walker and more. BBQ and food truck participants include Black Sugar Rib Company, Carter’s Smoked BBQ, BBQ Smokehouse, Cowboy John’s Smoken BBQ, Our Place BBQ, Taste of Soul on Wheels and It’s in the Sauce BBQ, among others.
Attending the festival is more than just entertainment. Proceeds will benefit charities including the Gen Giammanco Foundation and Single Mothers Outreach.
Tickets are available for purchase online now. Tickets will also be sold at the door. Friday’s tickets range from $20 to $40 and Saturday’s BBQ Festival/Sunday Blues, Brews & BBQ Festival tickets are $10 (entry must be purchased per person for each day), with free entry for children 12 and under. Both days will feature a variety of live music and entertainment. Individuals must be 21 years of age or older with a valid ID to enter the Beer Festival on Friday and to consume alcohol for the duration of the festival. Central Park is located at 27150 Bouquet Canyon Road in Santa Clarita. For more information, visit www.BBQandBeerFestival.com.
