Festival Fever: Troy Pig Out @ Riverfront Park, 7/14-15/12

Ribs and rockin’…
Blues and barbecue…
Brisket and bluegrass…

It all awaits you this weekend as foodies and bands alike will be doin’ some serious smokin’. It’s the fifth annual Troy Pig Out in Riverfront Park, and downtown Troy will once again be transformed into a gigantic smokehouse with at least two dozen different food vendors on hand offering samples of their mouth-watering wares. The fest runs from 11am-10pm on Saturday (July 14) and from 11am-4pm on Sunday.

Yes, there will be plenty of ribs and pulled pork variations, but there will also be such delish edibles as smoked chicken, wings, sliders, sandwiches, tacos, pizza, fried dough, assorted desserts and an array of beverages (both adult-oriented and otherwise).

And you can fill your tummy with yummies for a very nominally fee. Here’s how it works: At 4pm on Saturday, tickets will go on sale for $1 each at a ticket booth near the competitor area. Buy as many as you like. Each ticket will get you one rib. For every five tix you buy, you’ll get a special ballot. And after you have tasted all the ribs you care to try, drop your completed ballot at back at the ticket booth to register your vote.

Tix will go on sale at 4pm and sampling begins at 5pm. They’re only selling 8,000 tickets – first come, first served! This portion of the event will sell out fast.

For festival-goers who want to sample the BBQ but want to avoid the frenetic pace of the People’s Choice Competition, each of our BBQ vendors are also offering sample-sized portions for $1-$5.

Sunday’s food tasting opportunities roll in earlier – chicken at 12noon; pork ribs at 12:30pm; pork butt and/or shoulder at 1pm; and beef brisket at 1:30pm.

And even if music takes precedence over food in your life, you’re gonna wanna be at the Pig Out this weekend, as a stellar line-up of bands will be performing throughout Saturday and Sunday – and the music is all FREE.

Here’s the schedule of free music for the 2012 fest:

SATURDAY, JULY 14
11am-12noon: Big Creek
12:30-1:30pm: Fairview Avenue
2-3pm: Bent Rail Blues Band
4-5:30pm: The Jump Daddies
6-7:30pm: Super 400
8–9:20pm: Albert Cummings
9:30pm: fireworks

SUNDAY, JULY 15
11am–12:15pm: The Charlie Smith Blues Band
12:45–2pm: Soul Sanctuary
2:45–4pm: Collette & the Mudcats

ADDITIONAL UPCOMING FESTIVALS FOR 2012:

Shockwave Festival @ Upstate Concert Hall, Clifton Park, 7/20/12 UPDATE: Cancelled.
Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, 7/31/12
McDonald’s African American Family Day @ Empire State Plaza, Albany, 8/4/12, FREE
Empire State Plaza Food Festival @ Empire State Plaza, Albany, 8/15/12, FREE
SAWFest Music Festival @ Salem Art Works, Salem, 8/18/12
Restoration Festival @ St. Joseph’s Church, Albany, 9/7-9/12
Local Legends Live @ Empire State Plaza, Albany, 9/8/12, FREE
FreshGrass Bluegrass Festival @ MASS MoCA, North Adams, 9/21-23/12
Hannaford Hispanic Heritage Celebration @ Empire State Plaza, Albany, 9/22/12, FREE