MARCH 2-4, 2012
PUNTA GORDA BBQ & MUSIC FESTIVAL
www.puntagordabbqfestival.com

Grilling and barbecuing are among America’s leading culinary pastimes, and Laishley Park is where barbecuing maestros from far and near will converge, compete and conquer the hungry appetites of visitors and local residents alike. Guests to The Punta Gorda BBQ & Music Festival are guaranteed delighted taste buds and full stomachs.

Food, fun and family festivities will kick off at 6pm Friday, followed by a premier concert by  The Casey Weston Band featuring Casey Weston, Final Eight Finalist on NBC’s hit show “The Voice.” 

Saddle up for more food and fun on Saturday as the festival rolls on. Spectators will witness first hand some of the world’s most legendary barbecue masters take center stage. Professional BBQ teams from across the Southeastern United States will be competing in a Pro BBQ Cook-Off sanctioned by the Florida BBQ Association. Grilling masters will be dueling it out for the ultimate cook-off title and the honor of earning an invitation to the Jack Daniels Invitational BBQ Championship in Lynchburg, Tennessee. And if that weren’t enough, were adding sizzle to the fire with more live music throughout the day and night as guests continue to soothe their appetite for more BBQ.

Sunday it’s an all-out Backyard BBQ Brawl, as amateur teams take center stage to compete. Head-to-head competition is what it’s all about as local celebrity judges make their choices and ultimately choose the 2012 winner  of the Punta Gorda BBQ Festival Mayor’s Cup. With competitors putting their all into being the best of the best, there’ll be no shortage of top quality barbecue on tap.

The Punta Gorda BBQ Championship is more than just a treat to your tongue. It’s also ground zero for entertainment galore. So your ears don’t get jealous of all the fun your mouth is having, there is a solid line-up of musical entertainment all weekend. Once your belly’s full sampling the best barbecue in Punta Gorda and your ears are filled with the finest sounds, there’s still more thrills to be had.

Make your way over to the huge Vendor area and peruse the diverse selection of handcrafted items, unique products, and informative services , and let your children run loose in the Kids Funzone with lots of entertaining kids rides and games.  When the night falls, watch the spectacular glow of the parks beautiful marina as you dance your heart away to the music. We look forward to feasting on fine food, music and Southern festivities with you!

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:

• Friday, March 2nd, 2012. Gates open 6 pm, Music begins at 6:30 pm
• Saturday, March 3rd, 2012 Gates open at 11am, barbecue competition judging  (all day), awards ceremony  4pm, music concert  6pm-10pm
• Sunday, March 4th, 2012. Gates open 11am, Backyard BBQ judging – Awards at 4:00pm

For more information visit www.puntagordabbqfestival.com or call 941-637-5953. Vendor and registration forms are available here.

FEBRUARY 11, 2012
CHARLOTTE HARBOR CHILI CHALLENGE & BEER FESTIVAL

The aroma of award winning chili is coming to Laishley Park in Punta Gorda on February 11^th, 2012.  That’s when the Charlotte Harbor Chili Challenge and Beer Festival is coming to town.

25 chili teams will set up their chili cooking booths in Laishley Park in an effort to persuade the judges and the general public that their chili is the best.  The teams may consist of friends, family, service organizations, clubs, non-profits, businesses, or just about anyone who has the desire to make good, if not great chili.

In addition to making great chili, teams will be challenged to decorate their 15’ x 15’ booths in a “Chili in Florida” theme.  The best decorated booth will win the Showmanship award and a first place prize of $500.  Booths will be judged on five criteria: Theme, Action, Costume, Audience Appeal, and Booth Set-Up.  Awards will be given to the top five booths. Teams may decorate their booths however they choose using any type of decorations, lights, banners, flags, props, etc. The only requirement is everything must be inside the 15 x 15 booth area. Chili Teams may also dress the theme or wear costumes as part of the booth’s appearance.

Chili will be the focus of the day and it will be judged in two ways.  A panel of judges will taste test samples from each of the teams.  Judges will score chili samples on a scale from 1 to 10 with 10 being the best. There are five criteria for scoring: Aroma, Consistency, Color, Taste, and Texture. NOTE: Heat is not a grading factor!  The Chili Challenge winners will receive $500, Bragging rights, and a trophy and prizes will be awarded through 5^th place.  

There will also be a $500 Award for the People’s Choice of best Chili. Each attendee will receive a voting coupon when they enter through the main gate, Collect as many of those coupons from people visiting your booth as you can! The Team with the most coupons wins the coveted People’s Choice Award and $500! People’s Choice Coupons will be collected at 6:00pm with the winner announced at the Award Ceremony at 7pm on the main stage

In addition to the Chili cooking, there will be a full slate of activities during the festival.  Merchandise vendors will be on hand as well as other food vendors when you’re ready to take a break from the chili. Live music will be performed all day on the Service Provider Group Main Stage and there will be a Kid’s fun Zone to keep the young ones occupied.

Last but not least, a Beer Tasting Tent will feature over a dozen craft beers from Micro-Breweries around the country to satisfy your thirst.  It’s an opportunity to sample beer from small breweries not always readily available in our area.

So mark your calendars for February 11^th, 2012.  The Charlotte Harbor Chili Challenge and Beer Festival in Laishley Park is sure to warm up a cool February day with great food, great live music, and great beer!

For more information call 941-637-5953. Vendor and registration forms are available here.

 Laishley Crab House

We’re big believers in generous gratuities for any area wait-staff, but especially those at Laishley Crab House and its sister establishments, Harpoon Harry’s, John Hall’s Goal Post Grill, The Captain’s Table and Muscle Car City Diner. With 80 percent of the company’s staff making a donation from every paycheck (and the company kicking in a portion of each day’s sales), Charlotte’s hungry received 35,000 pounds of food and supplies valued at $160,000. If the great service you get isn’t enough reason to shake loose a big tip, the employees’ dedication to service in the community certainly is.

Source: Florida Weekly’s Best of 2011

WinterFest will be coming to downtown Punta Gorda this weekend December 10^th and 11^th from noon to 9p.m.  WinterFest features two amazing holiday attractions never seen before anywhere in Southwest Florida. Holiday food and beverages will be available throughout the weekend. Admission into WinterFest is free while attractions, food and beverages have individual pricing. WinterFest is located in the heart of Punta Gorda on the corner of Marion Ave. and US 41 North.  

SnowGlobe Live!

Step inside the fun this winter with SnowGlobe Live! This major attraction is the first of its kind in the United States and features an exciting winter wonderland photo experience like no other. Explore this giant inflatable snow globe complete with holiday décor elements and a large artificial snow play area. Great holiday photo op for up to 6 guests – just enter, play, pose and take home a great photo souvenir from SnowGlobe Live! SnowGlobe Live! brings the magic and merriment of treasured snow globes right to your fingertips with its impressive 15 foot tall presence. Suitable for any age, SnowGlobe Live! allows the entire family to experience real quality family fun like no other. It truly is something different, unique and a great holiday memory!

Snow-Zilla!

Think it’s possible to snow tube outside in the middle of summer? It is if you have SNOWZILLA!  The first ever artificial snow tube slide! SNOWZILLA stands over 30 feet tall and features an ultra slick 90 foot toboggan run that is misted by actual snow. Ski resort like snow machines create a blizzard-like effect for sliders and specially engineered inner tubes make you feel like you on are on a ski mountain! SNOWZILLA is an amazing attraction and is the only slide to give riders the true feeling of being on a snow covered mountain!  Fun for the whole family – no matter what climate!

WinterFest in Downtown Punta Gorda is also pleased to announce a free holiday concert with the Port Charlotte Adventist School’s Celestial Chime Choir.  There will be two shows- Saturday at 7pm and Sunday at 3pm.

There will also be holiday food and beverages available.  Admission to WinterFest is Free to the public, while attractions, food, and beverages have individual pricing.

For more information visit our FaceBook page at Punta Gorda WinterFest, call 941-637-5953, or e-mail jerry@smugglers.com    WinterFest is presented by Smugglers Event Management.

2011 Haunting Schedule Flyer

2011 Costume Contest Flyer

Grants: 18
Y-T-D Total: $42,592

For more information, please visit www.smugglerscommunityfoundation.org.

The Sushi Bar at Laishley Crab House
100 E. Retta Esplanade
Punta Gorda, FL 33950
941.205.5566
941.205.5575 Fax

Hours of Operation:
Monday – Thursday & Sunday
11am to 10pm (last seating at 9pm)

Friday & Saturday
11am to 11pm (last seating at 10pm)