Fire Up the Grill for “BBQ’n at the Autry”

The Autry National Center fires up the grill as the Kansas City Barbeque Society rides into Southern California for the second annual Barbeque Championship and Festival. Taste championship-quality barbecue from around the country. Learn tricks of the trade through cooking demonstrations and lectures by noted chefs such as Lenny Bent from the “Cookin’ with Lenny” television show; Charles Perry, Los Angeles Times food critic, who will cook up some real 1950s L.A. barbecue; and Kathy Murphy, who tackles tri-tip barbecue.

Next, jump on stage to enter in a good-old-fashioned pie- and rib-eating contest. Bring the kids for arts and crafts, where they will learn to make a necklace or kite and learn all about life on the trail from cowboy cook Tom Perini and his 1800s-replica chuck wagon. Then dance away the calories to the country and folk sounds of Christina Ortega and Sage Gayton and the Lucky Stars.

Admission includes entrance to the barbecue festival and the museum. Free for Autry members, $9 general admission, $7 students and seniors (62 and over), $3 children ages 3--12, and free for children 2 and under. For more information, call (323) 667-2000, ext. 353.