The Giant 32nd Annual Barbecue Battle is once again coming to Washington, DC, on June 22 and 23. This year’s event will take place up and down Pennsylvania Avenue from Third to Seventh streets NW.
Every year since 1993 people have flocked to DC for their fill of chicken, brisket, burgers, and more during this event. Proceeds from this year’s battle will help support the USO, Capital Area Food Bank, and Big Brothers Big Sisters.
There will be over 100 free food, drink, and product samples at tents that include the Taste of Giant Sampling Pavilion and Budweiser Beverage Garden. Other big name food labels will be at the event too, including Kraft, Heinz, and McCormick.
A big part of the day celebrates what many barbecues do — bring families and friends together.
Father-daughter duo Stacy and John Nicolettos of Fairfax are among the certified judges for the competition that brings some of the world’s best barbecue here. The Roseda Best Beef Contest, Giant’s America’s Best Sauce Contest, Perdue’s Sizzlin’ Chicken Contest, and for non-meat eaters, Impossible Foods BBQ Championship, are among the competitions. Each competition has at least six judges. Judges, like the Nicolettos, who are certified can travel to different competitions.
“It’s really the fact that it’s in DC, and it’s on Pennsylvania Avenue, you’ve got the Capitol there and barbecue everywhere. It’s just surreal,” John says. “We’re used to going to competitions, and this one is just so big.”
The Nicolettos are Greek, and growing up, John’s wife and Stacy’s mother was the one that did most of the cooking. “One day when we were all grown, she looked at us and said, ‘I’m done. I don’t want to cook anymore,’” Stacy says. “So, my dad started cooking and he loves grilling, so I think that’s what kicked it off.”
John soon discovered smoking on his grill, which tends to require a lot more patience and skill than traditional grilling. “When I did finally retire, I flew down to Florida and took a course to learn how to judge with the Kansas City Barbecue Society,” he says.
After John got certified, Stacy soon followed. She attended a judging class in Richmond with some friends and ended up being the only one to stick with it. “I was like, well this is awesome that I get to eat good barbecue, and it’s free,” she says.
Stacy’s favorite protein to judge is chicken, which she says sounds odd because she never orders chicken when she visits a restaurant.
“When I’m doing the barbecue, I think it’s just that I’m in awe that they can keep the skin crispy, so when you bite into it the skin doesn’t fall off, or you can bite right through it — it’s a real skill,” she says.
John calls himself a traditionalist. “Ribs are the traditional thing that makes a barbecue a barbecue. Chicken comes very close, but it’s so hard to do right,” he says.
Of course, all good barbecues have a great musical playlist to match. The barbecue battle will have live music on multiple stages. You’ll be able to catch go-go music at the Pepsi Lay’s DC Go-Go Stage and 1980s tunes at the Monster Energy ‘80s Block Party. EU plays Saturday night and The Chuck Brown Band plays on Sunday night.
Catch cooking demos with chefs Spike Mendelsohn and Shanel on Saturday and Smokecraft Modern Barbecue on Sunday.
There also will be a Monumental Sports Zone and stunt shows with BMX bikes and skateboards. Even the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile will make an appearance.
Feature image courtesy Giant Barbecue Battle
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