How to do Blues, Brews & BBQ in Beaver Creek

The weather may have been a bit wintery lately, but Beaver Creek is getting ready to welcome everyone back after the ski season for its summer kickoff event. Blues, Brews & BBQ started in 2003 and since then it’s grown in size and scope and now encompasses three days, with 10 bands, 20 craft brews, over a dozen Beaver Creek restaurants, two guest pit masters and one celebrity chef.

There will be so much great blues music to listen to, tasty beers to try, barbecue to taste and chef competitions to watch. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself at Beaver Creek all three days. Use this as your guide to one of the Beav’s signature events.

Music schedule

Listen to award-winning blues artists, as this event not only celebrates the start of barbecue season, but also lets music lovers hear some great artists live and in person for free at Beaver Creek.

Friday

• Larry McCray: 4:30-6 p.m.
• George Porter, Jr. of The Meters: 6:30-8 p.m.

Saturday

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• Kara Grainger: 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
• Buffalo Nichols: 1:30 – 3 p.m.
• Jontavious Willis: 3:30 – 5 p.m.
• Tommy Castro & The Painkillers: 5:30 – 7 p.m.

Sunday

• Kent Burnside: 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
• Ghalia Volt: 1-2 p.m.
• Kevin Burt & The Big Medicine: 2:30-4 p.m.
• Tab Benoit: 4:30-6 p.m.

BBQ competitions

In addition to the vendor booths throughout the village offering up mouthwatering barbecue, there will be some demonstrations and competitions happening between the musical acts.

Friday

• BBQ Demo Party: 6 p.m. – Matt Good of the Charter at Beaver Creek, celebrity chef Brother Luck, pit masters Mike Starr of Blazing Star BBQ and Todd Michael Johns of Plowboys Barbecue.  

Saturday

• International Backyard Barbecue: 1:30 p.m. – Jan “Jasko” Markot of Hooked
• Battle of the Brothers – Wings: 3 p.m. – Matt Good of the Charter and George Pincay of Golden Eagle Inn
• Thai Chicken Curry: 5 p.m. – Pit master Mike Starr of Blazing Star BBQ and pit master Todd Michael Johns of Plowboys BBQ

Sunday

• Embers of Honor: A Tribute to Fallen Veterans: 12:30 p.m.- Matt Good of the Charter, George Pincay of Golden Eagle Inn and Jose Rodriguez of Beaver Creek Chophouse
• BBQ Meets Sushi: 2 p.m. Jan “Jasko” Markot of Hooked
• Short Ribs: 4 p.m. – Anthony Beltracchi of Fireside Grill at The Osprey

Breweries serving suds

You can turn Blues, Brews & BBQ into a mini beer tasting event with the new 12 for $12 Beer Tasting Punch Card. Test drive a few brews with 12 one-ounce tastings before you choose your favorite flavor.

• Outer Range Brewing Company – Frisco
• 4 Noses Brewing – Denver and Broomfield
• Vail Brewing Company – EagleVail
• Westbound & Down – Denver, Basalt, Idaho Springs, Lafayette
• Wibby Brewing – Longmont
• Wild Cider – Firestone

Minturn Whisky Company is also part of the offerings this year and wine and other cocktails will be available. Keep in mind that the brews part of the event is cashless, but you can use a debit or credit card to purchase punch cards and the tasting card.

• $45 Punch card for five beers or cocktails
• $10 single beer/cocktail ticket
• Punch cards and single tickets are good for 16-oz beer, 12-ounce Minturn Whisky cocktail or 9-ounce wine
• $12 for 12 one-ounce tastings punch card

Most of the event will be hosted on the Beaver Creek Plaza level (where the ice rink is in the winter) with the chef competitions and demonstrations being held on the mezzanine above the fountain, just up the stairs from the Beaver Creek Plaza. The Kids Zone will be along the Slopeside Lawn. Parking is available for free at the Elk and Bear lots and shuttle buses will be running throughout the event. Bring the kids to enjoy the bouncy house, activities and games at the Kids Zone, but no pets are allowed at Blues, Brews & BBQ. The event is free and food and drinks are available for purchase. Want to make a weekend out of it? Have a staycation up in Beaver Creek where some lodging deals offer 20% off. For more information, go to beavercreek.com and search under Signature Events.