Safeway BBQ Battle

Safeway’s annual Barbecue Battle was a weekend of music, food and fun for the whole family.

Jessica Southard, Miss National Watermelon Queen, hands out refreshing melon to the crowd.

Kendra and Haley take a break from the barbecue to rock out on guitar games.

Miraculously neither the human Yolanda nor the wax Johnny Depp (courtesy of Madame Tussaud’s) melted in the 90+ temperature.

“Mousey Thompson” & the James Brown Experience plays some funky R & B for the crowd at the 18th annual BBQ event.

Participants work off their barbecue bellies at a variety of athletic activities – including this challenging climbing wall.

Of course the kiddies had a climbing wall of their own.

Peter, a Safeway employee, hands out beef brisket BBQ samples

Thousands enjoyed beef, chicken and pork barbecue over the two days of the annual festival.

Jazz guitar artist Bobby Parker gets the music going in the Jazz & Blues pavillion.

*Coverage also available on NBC’s Niteside.