Ranch Main fired up for barbecue cook-off

LAKEWOOD RANCH — Restaurants on Lakewood Ranch Main Street are firing up their grills and creating their best barbecue recipes in hopes of claiming the title of barbecue king at the Second Annual Main Street Barbecue Cook-off and International Beer Festival.

The free event will be held from 4-10 p.m., June 26, in the grassy area along Lake Uihlein, behind the soon-to-be-finished miniature golf course at the end of Lakewood Main Street.

Attendees will be asked to sample barbecue and cast their votes for their favorite recipe as competitors MacAllisters Grill & Tavern and The Polo Grill and Bar try to dethrone last year’s winner, Ed’s Tavern.

“It’s a tough competition this year,” said event co-organizer Karen Ronney, owner of MacAllisters. “(Every) vote counts.”

Voting will be open until about 7 p.m., and the cook-off winner will be announced around 7:30 p.m., Ronney said.

New to the cook-off this year will be an international beer festival.

“This year, we’ve teamed up with an international beer festival to make it a little different,” Ronney said. “We do feel the street has an international flair with all the different restaurants — the American, the Scottish, the Japanese, the French and in a couple of months Mexican and Italian.”

Each participating restaurant will have its own beer tent, at which it will offer country-specific beverages. Additionally, Gold Coast Eagle Distributing will be offering an assortment of alcoholic drinks from around the globe, Ronney said.

Proceeds from beer and wine and food sales will benefit the Sarasota Film Society.

Other festivities will include live musical performances by The Rum Runners, Big T & the Tornados and Paper Airplanes. Additionally, there will be activities for children, including a pitching machine run by the Pittsburg Pirates, face painting, a balloon artist and more.

Contact Pam Eubanks at [email protected].

Main Street Barbecue Cook Off and Beer Festival
WHEN: 4 p.m., June 26
WHERE: Lakewood Ranch Main Street. The cook-off will be located in the grassy area along the lakefront at the end of Main Street.
COST: Free
INFO: www.lakewoodranch.com