Port Macquarie’s annual Blues & BBQ Festival returns for beats, barbecue, and beer (NSW)

Following the sell-out success from Sydney’s very well-received Meatstock festival, event organisers Simon Luke and Jay Beaumont have turned their attention back to Port Macquarie for the third annual Blues and Barbecue Festival, a lake-side, two-day event that plans to dish out beats, barbecue, and beer until you can’t meat-sweat no more.

The event also hosts the country’s largest BBQ battle, with a total of 94 teams already lining up to go head-to-head in front of a panel of expect meat-eaters, judges of whom are members of the Australian BBQ Alliance and gatekeepers of the $10,000 prize pool.

Aside from the big battle, smokers will be all around the festival as the country’s best food trucks and outlets – all of whom are meat-focused of course – descend upon the event to help feed the masses. Smokin’ Grill will be on hand to offer up American-style BBQ with Aussie twists, alongside the excellent Vic’s Meat Market, a Sydney favourite that will be getting all low and slow on their massive smoker.

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Australia’s best micro-breweries will be heading along to help everyone wash down all that meat with some cold brews, also providing the energy needed to keep up with live music from the likes of Tex Perkins, who will be bringing along his band, The Ape, as well as crooner Mojo Juju, indie band The Tommy Hawks, songstress Sahara Beck, and more including Bounty Hunters and The Bloozers.

“We can’t wait to get our teeth sunk into the 3th Blues & BBQ Festival,” said co-organiser, Simon Luke. “It’s going to be bigger and better than ever before and we are looking forward to seeing over 94 of Australia’s top barbeque teams step up to the plate. We feel we have created a great value, family friendly event by offering the best in Australian food, music and craft beer to keep everyone entertained.”

Camping is available for the festival from Thursday 31st March until Sunday 2nd April at Sundowner Breakwall Tourist Park. Tickets are available, with family tickets set at $150 (for 2 adults and 2 kids aged under 12 + 3 nights camping and exclusive access to the competitor’s pit area on the Friday night, and the festival on the Saturday). General admission tickets are $50 (and include 6pm-9pm access to the BBQ pit yard, where food will be available on Friday, and 1pm-9pm access to all the live bands, bars, and food trucks on the Saturday). Kids under 12 get free entry with every adult ticket across the weekend.

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Chris Singh

Chris Singh is an Editor-At-Large at the AU review, loves writing about travel and hospitality, and is partial to a perfectly textured octopus. You can reach him on Instagram: @chrisdsingh.