D.C. Barbecue battle mixes fun, food and music

For 20 years, the Safeway Barbecue Battle has been a go-to place for food and fun. How does this year's shape up? (WTOP/Kathy Stewart)
The Johnsonville Big Taste Grill is 65 feet long and weighs 5,300 pounds and it travels all around the country appearing at festivals and outdoor events including the Safeway Barbecue Battle in D.C.(WTOP/Kathy Stewart)
The Johnsonville Big Taste Grill appears at the Barbecue Battle on Pennsylvania Avenue. (WTOP/Kathy Stewart)
This year's Barbecue Battle will help raise funds for D.C. Children's Charities and The Capital Area Food Bank. It also features a Military Chef's cook-off presented by IKEA in which representatives from the military. (WTOP/Kathy Stewart)
The Dragon Smoker is a custom sculpture that really cooks. See this, and more, at the Barbecue Battle in Northwest Washington. (WTOP/Kathy Stewart)
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WASHINGTON — For more than 20 years, the Safeway Barbecue Battle has been a one- stop shop for good food and music along Pennsylvania Avenue in Northwest D.C. It’s an unofficial kick-off to summer and is the city’s largest food and music festival.

At the two-day festival which takes place through Sunday, tourists and local residents can enjoy grilled grub from around the country, family entertainment and cooking demonstrations.

This year’s event will help raise funds for D.C. Children’s Charities and The Capital Area Food Bank. It also features a Military Chef’s Cook-off presented by IKEA, in which representatives from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard will participate to benefit the USO Metropolitan Washington.

WTOP’s Kathy Stewart contributed to this report.

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