The toughest barbecue competitors at this year’s Downtown Mesa BBQ & Bluegrass Classic might not be old enough to drive.
“These kids are awesome,” said Jimmy Cerracchio, the Downtown Mesa Association’s executive director, about the KidsQ competition. “They actually do their own brisket, and they do their own pulled pork. They step up, and they do an amazing job.”
The KidsQ is part of the free festival from 5 to 10 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, in Downtown Mesa, at Macdonald and Main Street. Friday sees the appetizer and dessert competitions, while the four-meat championship and kids competitions are Saturday.
While meats smoke overnight in preparation for the competition, teams showcase their creativity through side dishes and sweets.
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The KidsQ competition has grown steadily and is expected to draw about 20 participants this year. Many are children of teams competing in the main barbecue contest, but the young pitmasters are judged on their own merits. The judges are sequestered for each competition.
“I can’t stress enough how good the food that kids under 18 are actually putting out for this thing,” Cerracchio said. “It’s amazing.”
The 20 children will compete the same day 34 seasoned adult pitmasters fire up smokers, prepare brisket and pulled pork, and compete for cash prizes.
The annual event, now in its fourth year, is expanding to include 13 bluegrass bands, which organizers hope will bring even more energy to the Downtown festival.
The lineup includes Friday-night headliner Ten Dollar Wedding and Saturday performers Cisco and the Racecars, Forest Thurman & Breakline, along with a collection of regional acts representing various levels of experience. Some are established performers while others are beginning to gain wider recognition on the bluegrass circuit.
“We have some headliners that are amazing playing on this,” Cerracchio said.
The addition of music feels like a natural fit for a festival that already encourages visitors to linger Downtown throughout the day, he said. This year, live performances are joined by barbecue tastings, spirit samplings and bluegrass jam sessions in the Neon Garden.
Attendees can sample everything from sliders and mac and cheese to homemade ice cream and cheesecake. Public tasting is a key part of the event, allowing visitors to discover favorites while helping build anticipation for Saturday’s showdown.
“The event’s 100% free to come in,” Cerracchio said. “You can buy tasting tickets. They’re $2 a ticket. Most people usually get a sheet of 10 tickets, and then you can go and see what people are offering and try that.”
Saturday shifts the focus to the barbecue competition itself.
Thirty-four teams will compete in categories including pulled pork, chicken, ribs and brisket. Judges evaluate each entry, while festivalgoers help determine the People’s Choice Award by using their tasting tickets to vote for favorite vendors.
The competition has grown increasingly popular among attendees, many of whom arrive early to ensure they get a taste before vendors sell out.
“The barbecue portion of it on Saturday really goes from 10 until about 3,” Cerracchio said. “By 3 o’clock, they’re running out of meat, so we encourage people to always get there early.”
Even with all the music and competition, organizers haven’t lost sight of the event’s family-friendly roots.
The festival will include a Raising Cane’s-sponsored kids zone, and one of the weekend’s performers, Jam Pak, brings a mission that extends beyond entertainment. The group, which focuses on introducing children to bluegrass music, will perform during the festival and host an instrument petting zoo where youngsters can try instruments.
For Cerracchio, a former music major, the chance to connect kids with instruments is especially meaningful.
“There’s a good chance they would never get to pick up until later in life,” he said. “This is a way to get them started and get them understanding what these instruments sound like, what they feel like.”
That combination of food, music, and hands-on experiences has helped the festival evolve into more than just a barbecue competition. It has become a community gathering where aspiring musicians can discover a new instrument, families can spend an afternoon together and talented young pitmasters can show they’re capable of standing alongside competitors with years more experience.
“It has been really cool to see how it’s kind of changed and what these people create,” Cerracchio said. “Every pitmaster involved in this just does really amazing work.”
