It's time to mark your calendars for a day filled with barbecue and live music at the Summerfest grounds. The Big Gig BBQ is back, and it aims to showcase some of the best rubbed, slathered and smoked meats in the area.
The 2nd Annual Big Gig BBQ will be held on Sunday, Sept. 3, at the Henry Maier Festival Park. The event will take place noon to 7 p.m., rain or shine on the southern end of the festival grounds.
Even better, this year's event will feature free admission, as well as free parking, for all attendees.
In addition to showcasing both tasting and full-sized portions of some of the best barbecued meats in the area, the event will also feature live entertainment at both the Briggs & Stratton Big Backyard and the South Pavilion, expert insights on creating home-based barbecue and more.
Headlining BBQ vendors include:
- Atlas BBQ
- Chicago q
- Dickey’s Barbecue Pit
- Double B’s BBQ
- Famous Dave’s Bar-b-que
- Iron Grate BBQ Co.
- Maxie’s
- Miss Beverly’s Deluxe Barbeque
- Nino’s Southern Sides
- Pitch’s
- Saz’s State House
- Silver Spur Texas Smokehouse BBQ
- Smoke Shack
- The Charcoal Grill and Rotisserie
"We are thrilled to host the Big Gig BBQ again this year and offer free admission and parking to all our fans who come to enjoy the best in BBQ here at Henry Maier Festival Park," noted Don Smiley, president and CEO of Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. in a release.
For more information, vendor descriptions and entertainment updates, visit BigGigBBQ.com, or follow the event on Facebook or Twitter.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
