Barbecue, Beer and Music Festival set April 7-9 in Harrington
The Delaware State Fair announces its Third Annual Triple Threat Barbecue, Beer and Music Festival Friday and Saturday, April 8 and 9, on the fairgrounds, rain or shine. A preview night is set for 5 to 9 p.m., Thursday, April 7.
Tickets are $5 for admission. The community is invited to enjoy live music, great beer and wine, amazing barbecue provided by regional and local barbecue vendors, carnival rides, cooking demonstrations, vendors and more. Both the Quillen Arena and Schabinger Pavilion will feature food, retail and craft vendors. Patrons are encouraged to check out the newest Price Honda models and pick up their lottery tickets from the Delaware Lottery in the Quillen Arena.
Bands will include Bo Dickerson Band at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Country By Night at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Joint Chiefs at 3 p.m. and Lower Case Blues at 5:30 p.m. Cooking demonstrations will be presented by Haass’ Family Butcher Shop and will take place at 6 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m., 3 and 6 p.m. Saturday.
People’s Choice Contest presented by Mountaire Farms will begin Friday at 6 p.m. and Saturday at noon. This is a cooking competition for barbecue competitors judged by festival-goers. Tickets will be available for purchase in packs of five, good for five wings and one People’s Choice vote.
This year the festival will have 20 breweries open with more than 60 craft beers for sampling. Brewers include Bells Brewery, Blue Earl Brewing, Blue Point Brewing Co., Dominion Brewing Co., DuClaw Brewing Co., Elysian Brewing Co., Evolution Craft Brewing Co., Fins Big Oyster Brewery, Fordham Brewing Co., Goose Island Beer Co., Harpoon Brewery, Knoa Beer Co., Magic Hat Brewing Co., Mispillion River Brewing, Red Hook Brewery, Sam Adams, Shiner Beers, Traveler Beer Company, Widmer Brothers Brewing and Yards Brewing Co.
For $25, patrons will receive six sampling tickets and a souvenir cup (souvenir cups are only guaranteed for the first 1,000 customers). Extra tickets can be purchased for $2 each. Craft beer tastings will take place Friday from 4 to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 3 to 8 p.m inside the Quillen Arena.
There will be more than 100 barbecue masters competing for the title of 2016 Delaware State Champion in the Kansas City Barbecue Society-sanctioned barbecue competition and more than $12,000 in prize money. The progressive increase based on the total number of teams competing could result in prize monies reaching $20,000. For more information on becoming a competitor, go to www.delawarestatefair.com. There is an amateur competition for new teams.
New this year, festival-goers can take a drive on an off-road obstacle course Saturday, April 9. With varying grades, unique obstacles and truckloads of fun, the course will put their driving skills and techniques to the test. They can bring their own vehicle, geared up and ready to off-road.
The first Surf Tag Auction at the Triple Threat Barbecue, Beer and Music Festival sponsored Delaware State Parks will begin at 1:30 p.m., April 9. There will be 15 surf tags auctioned live in the Quillen Arena. Tag numbers in the auction will all be low-digit numbers. Three choice tags (which allow the winning bidder to select their favorite number from a series of available tags) will also be auctioned.
Delaware State Parks is celebrating its 65th anniversary. For more information, go to www.destateparks.com/lowdigittag. To register to bid, go to http://bid.usgovbid.com/cgi-bin/mndetails.cgi?govals769.
There will be plenty of youth-friendly food and drink choices as well as a carnival to enjoy. The carnival will take place throughout the festival with a preview night from 5 to 9 p.m., Thursday, April 7. There will be an unlimited ride wristband on Thursday night (gate admission included). For Friday and Saturday unlimited ride wristbands, gate admission is not included. There will also be individual tickets available for purchase.
The Delaware State Fairgrounds are at 18500 S. DuPont Highway, Harrington. For more information or to purchase tickets, go to www.delawarestatefair.com.
