Best bets this weekend will include the Men Who Grill competition Saturday and the Durango Cowboy Poetry Gathering barn dance Sunday.
The 15th annual Men Who Grill competition will be held from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday in Buckley Park, 1250 Main Ave.
The family-friendly event features all-you-can-eat grilled creations, live music from the Kirk James Blues Band and beer from Steamworks Brewing Co.
Registration is open for amateur grilling teams to compete. Food will be judged by a panel of local judges, and festival attendees will vote for their favorite dish for the competitive People’s Choice category. Teams are encouraged to dress up in costumes and decorate booths to win prizes for best theme and décor.
Men Who Grill is a fundraiser for the Women’s Resource Center. This year’s event is presented by Bank of Colorado.
Tickets are $20 in advance, and $25 at the gate. Children 5 to 12 years old are $10 and children younger than 5 can attend for free.
Tickets are available at Bank of Colorado’s main branch, 1199 Main Ave.; Maria’s Bookshop, 960 Main Ave.; Backcountry Experience, 1205 Camino del Rio; and the Women’s Resource Center, 679 East Second Ave.
Tickets can also be purchased online at www.wrcdurango.org.
The fourth annual Durango Cowboy Poetry Gathering barn dance and picnic fundraiser will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday in Rotary Park, 1565 East Second Ave.
The event will feature music by the Tim Sullivan Band and readings from cowboy poet Lindy Simmons. Those who attend are invited to bring their own picnic or purchase Angus burgers and bratwursts with side dishes from the Durango Veterans of Foreign Wars for $5. Wine, beer, sodas and ice cream from Cream Bean Berry will also be available for purchase.
Tickets for the event are $15, available at the door or online at www.durangocowboygathering.org. Children younger than 12 will be admitted for free. Attendees are responsible for bringing their own chairs or blankets and pets are not allowed.
Proceeds will go to Durango Cowboy Poetry Gathering and its youth programs. Also, donations will be collected at the event to help firefighters contain the 416 Fire and provide assistance to displaced evacuees.
For more information, call Pam Jacobs at (512) 517-5619.
Fellowship of the Strings, 9 p.m., Balcony Backstage, 600 Main Ave.
Veterans car giveaway, 1 p.m., $10, Durango Elks Lodge, 901 East Second Ave.
Paint Party! Northern Lights, 6:30 p.m., $20-$30, The Art Experience, 1150 Main Ave., Unite C.
Flobots with Astralogic and Dirtvent MC Rap Battle League, 9 p.m., $22-$25, Animas City Theatre, 128 E. College Drive, 799-2281.
Summer of Sundays music series, 2 p.m., Trimble Spa and Natural Hot Springs, 6475 County Road 203.
