When you’re with friends and family on a hot summer’s day, there is nothing better than barbecue in Wine Country. It's great timing, then, that Saturday, July 14th is Wine Country Big Q - a rockin’, raging barbecue and wine tasting event in Santa Rosa.

This is not your everyday street fair barbecue tasting - The Big Q is bringing in Pitmasters from across the country to compete for over $8,000 in cash and prizes. And, you never know who you might see at The Big Q – last year Guy Fieri’s Tex Wasabi’s All Star team brought in a couple of “ringers” – Dr. BBQ from Florida as Head Cook along with “Gorilla,” Rich Bacchi from Gorilla Barbecue in Pacifica. This paid off well for them winning Grand Champion and qualifying them for the Kansas City Royal Barbecue Championships.

One of only 400 nationally sanctioned Kansas City Barbecue Society competitions in the country, at The Big Q you can sample over a pound of award winning pork, beef and chicken as you rub elbows with the Pitmasters. And of course the wineries will be on hand with their own competition - the Winery Big Beef Challenge. You be the judge as you vote for the King of the Grill when winery and vineyard chefs go fork to fork competing for the coveted People’s Choice award for the best tri tip and the wines that best complement.

And the final throw down …the “Firehouse Bold Bean Challenge.”  Firehouse teams light their fires and show off their skills on the grill preparing the perfect side dish to accompany great barbecue.

Wine Country Big Q is sure to satisfy anyone’s appetite for great barbecue, world class wine, beer and live music including the PETE [stringfellow] and Paulie’s Garage. What are you waiting for? Tickets are limited and available here.

A ticket into The Big Q includes over a pound of barbecue samples, wine tasting, live entertainment and more. It's all located on the campus of Sonoma Academy at 2500 Farmers Lane (off Kawana Springs Road), Santa Rosa. The Big Q is a benefit for the Children’s Museum of Sonoma County. Come check it out and bring the whole family!