2010 Rock & Rib Fest a saucy good time.

 The smell of hickory and mesquite hung heavy at 3rd and Denver downtown as the 2nd annual Rock & Rib Fest was held this weekend just outside of the amazing BOK Center.

Designed to ring in the start of the BOK Center’s anniversary celebrations, the festival showcased 7 professional BBQ teams from across the country. Each team offered a selection of barbecue items, to include brisket, pulled pork, smokled sausages, bologna, ham and the signature dish, BBQ ribs.

The street alongside the BOK Center was awash with color as the teams set up their stands to sell their delectable items, many of them sporting banners from past victories on the competitive BBQ circuit. The teams also brought with them huge smokers and grills, most of them working through the night to produce the perfect combination of smoke, spice and meat.

The festival also featured several stages on which local bands added the rock part of the Rock & Rib Fest, and the grounds also had a kids zone and a mechanical bull that people could test their best Urban Cowboy chops.

The 2010 “Best Of Show” award for this years Rock & Rib fest was won by the Cowboys BBQ team out of Ft. Worth, Texas. Next up on the BOK Center’s anniversary celebrations include a huge week of concerts, including Rush on Tuesday night and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers on Thursday, September 23rd.