Festival of meat rare opportunity for barbecue lovers

Follow your nose to the Urban BBQ Festival on at the Waikoko Gardens in Hastings in November. Photo / Supplied

One of the benefits of Daylight Saving is that there's more time to barbecue.

To get you in the mood, the Urban BBQ Festival is back for a second round of meat, music and barbecue mayhem.

More food vendors, more expert advice, free tastings and a rocking line up of music and entertainment will keep barbecue lovers by the pits all day at the Waikoko Gardens, at the Showgrounds in Hastings, on November 19, from 11am until 6.15pm.

Black Betty Barbecue and Japanese-style robata grill masters Piku bring back their barbecue goodness, joined by Bareknuckle Barbeque, under new ownership, and Black Label Barbecue, making the journey from Rotorua.

Local barbecue pioneers BBQ Gourmet bring their giant charcoal kettles, while Korean fried chicken vendors K's Kitchen from Taupō also join the lineup.

On the Music Stage, Dusty Rhodes and the Bluesmobile will return with their guitar-driven sets, along with rock and blues up-and-comers Jack Knife Beat. Joe Cole will kick things off with his unique take on new age folk and R&B.

Event organiser Jim Poppelwell says the barbecue scene in the Bay continues to go from strength to strength.

"We're stoked to be able to pull it all together for the growing number of local and out-of-town barbecue lovers," he said.

"We're really looking forward to maxing-out the space at the new venue, and taking the learnings from the first UBF in 2020 to make this year's Urban BBQ Festival a truly epic day out for all."

The Urban BBQ Festival is an all ages event, with under 14s free with an accompanying parent or guardian. Early Bird tickets at $20 are available now until October 10, General Admission at $25 until the morning of November 19, and gate sales at the venue from 10.30am for $30.

Tickets available now through Eventbrite.