BBQ Events: Big Apple Barbecue Block Party

Don't forget, this weekend in the Annual Big Apple BBQ Block Party sponsored by Danny Meyer and the folks at Blue Smoke. It takes place on June 10th and 11th in the streets surrounding Madison Square Park. You'll get to hear some great bands and taste some great barbeque. Be prepared for crowds. Get there early because some of the best pitmasters sell out.

I really have mixed feelings about this event. Don't get me wrong, it's a great event and a fantastic opportunity for the average New Yorker (including the bridge and tunnels) to sample some of the best barbeque around. It is a lot of fun.

But to me, it's a lot like New Year's Eve. Just as New Year's Eve is amateur night for drinkers, the Big Apple BBQ Block Party is amateur night for barbecuer's. I've never been a big party type of guy. I'd rather be spending time talking with Paul Kirk or Chris Lilly or Mike Mills at a competition or in their restaurants than spending time on the streets of Manhattan waiting in line for their food.

If you've never been to the Big Apple BBQ Block Party, you need to go. Just like Time's Square on New Year's Eve - it's something you need to experience once.