By Melissa Poindexter
For one unforgettable Saturday, Two Harbors welcomed some of California’s most respected pitmasters, artists, makers, and live-fire enthusiasts as the Catalina Beach BBQ & Art Festival brought visitors from across Southern California to Catalina’s West End.
More than a barbeque competition, it became a celebration of craftsmanship, tradition and community while introducing new visitors to the island. With both the Catalina Express and Cyclone bringing full passenger loads, the event once again showed how destination experiences can create meaningful opportunities for Catalina’s local businesses.
Behind it all was Avalon Smokehouse pitmaster Santiago Bryan-Zwick, whose years of building friendships throughout the barbeque community brought together an incredible collection of pitmasters, artisans, sponsors and makers from across California. What emerged was more than a Saturday event. It was a reunion built on respect, shared knowledge and a passion for preserving the traditions of live fire cooking.
That spirit was on full display thanks to Titus Smokers and their Full Steer cook alongside Big Javs Full Steer, which became one of the day’s signature experiences, giving guests and unforgettable look at the patience, teamwork and craftsmanship behind traditional open-fire cooking.
A special thank you goes to Ray Esporan of La Porka, who travelled from Florida to California to leas the raising and preparation of the whole hog. His demonstration represented one of barbeques oldest traditions and reminded everyone that the heart of barbeque has always been mentorship, respect and passing knowledge from one generation to the next.
The Art Festival brought another layer of creativity to the celebration. A heartfelt thank you goes to Lola DeMille and the Catalina Art Association for assembling an outstanding group of local artists whose work helped showcase Catalina’s creative community alongside its barbeque culture.
Returning favorite Spaceman Knives also sold out of its exclusive Catalina Edition knives, featuring handcrafted abalone shell handles made especially for the event – a testament to the craftsmanship celebrated throughout the day.
None of this would have been possible without the incredible competitors, artists, vendors, sponsors and partners who believed in the vision and made the trip to Catalina. Thank you to: Big Javs, OSO’s BBQ, Titus Smokers, Saucy Luke’s Craft BBQ, Nova’s Craft, BBQ, Big Sal’s Up in Smoke, Josh’s FrontYard BBQ, MadLuv4Food, Full Send BBQ, OC Smokehouse, Califas BBQ, La Porka, APEX precision knife sharpening, Descanso Beach Club, Pier 24, Harbor Reef Restaurant, Chubby Grills BBQ, Spaceman Knives, BYO Meat, Grills on Film, Fireball Charcoal, Country Flame Firewood, Crocodile Cloth, Re-Lyte Hydration, Redmond Real Salt, Low & Slow Snacks, Melinda’s Food, Brandt Beef, Backyard Butchers, the talented artists of the Catalina Art Association, Catalina Island Company for hosting, every volunteer and every guest who helped make the day so memorable.