The grand old Aussie tradition, the barbie, is taking on a whole new meaning this weekend as the city prepares to chow down at the inaugural Brisbane Low & Slow BBQ Festival. Food trucks are firing up the grills and local breweries are chilling the beers in finger-licking anticipation.

Swing by Wandering Cooks in South Brisbane between 12:00 pm and 10:00 pm this Saturday July 18 and Sunday July 19 to find food trucks, pop-up bars, market stalls, workshops, competitions, live entertainment and barbecue and beer matching. Don’t miss the chance to see eight of Australia’s leading barbecue teams go head to head over the wood-fired pit as they spend 24 hours perfecting slow-cooked ribs, brisket, pork and chicken in the 2015 Brisbane BBQ Championships watched over by the Australasian BBQ Alliance. A range of masterclasses and workshops will share a range of skills from butching to slow-cooking and smoking, making pickles and preserved condiments, and even how to become a qualified barbecue judge. Head to the Wandering Cooks Marketplace to ask all of your burning barbecue questions and purchase meat rubs and condiments.

Download the program online and read our recent interview with festival organiser Dominiqe Bird for more information. Pre-sale tickets are now closed, but a limited amount of tickets will be available at the box office from midday both days.